More states considering free school meals for all students

About 20 states have considered bills this year that would make free school meals permanent, building on a federal program to fund universal free meals during the COVID pandemic (Source: “More states line up to serve free school meals to all kids,” Pew Stateline, May 26).

Six states — California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and Vermont — recently implemented state-sponsored universal free meal programs in schools. And according to analysis by the Hunter College Food Policy Center, 21 more states are considering universal free meals. The Hunter College analysis points out that the Ohio Board of Education passed a resolution in 2022 recommending that the legislature use funding from the American Rescue Plan to establish universal free school meals.

During the pandemic, the federal government paid to make school lunches and breakfasts free for all students. Advocates for continuing the practice note that this helped remove the stigma associated with accepting free and reduced-price lunches.