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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	August 18, 2022 09:23 AM
From:	Senator Lindsey M. Williams
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	No Student Should Go Hungry - Universal School Meals

I will soon be introducing legislation that provides free school meals to all students. No one wants a child to go hungry or feel shame. School meals are as critical to learning as textbooks and teachers. Unfortunately, the School Nutrition Association of Pennsylvania has brought to my attention that low-income students and families will once again need to pay for school meals in the upcoming school year. At the start of the pandemic, the Federal government provided waivers from regulations and funding to ensure that all students had access to breakfast and lunch – whether they were learning in person or remotely. Recently, Congress extended these pandemic school meal waivers through the summer months and provided supply chain flexibilities and increased federal reimbursements for schools through the 2022-23 school year. While these changes help schools facing rising food, gas, and labor costs, the federal action unfortunately does little to help the students and families enduring the same financial strain. Once again, only students with a family income of 185% of the poverty level or below will qualify for free or reduced school meals this school year. The end of the federal waivers will be especially difficult for families who fall just outside the USDA’s income-eligibility guidelines. Additionally, because of rising supply chain costs, some schools are being forced to raise meal prices, meaning that families who were paying for meals before the pandemic will now pay even more for students’ breakfasts and lunches. The pandemic has showed us how students and educators benefit when school meals are free for all kids. With the challenges of the pandemic persisting and families facing higher costs across the board, now is not the time to take a step backwards – especially when the estimated cost to feed every student in Pennsylvania would be a small fraction of our overall budget. States around the country have recognized the need to take decisive action on school meals. California and Maine have both passed universal free school meal programs. Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, and Vermont have proposed or passed universal free-lunch bills, and Colorado will have a proposal on the ballot in November, signaling a growing recognition for this change. Given the ongoing economic challenges facing Pennsylvania families, now is the time  to provide free school meals to all students who are not already covered through the federal free and reduced-price-meal and Community Eligibility Provision programs. My Democratic colleagues on the Education Committee and I have asked Governor Wolf to address this issue. With the start of the school year rapidly approaching, I hope an administrative solution can still be found in time to ensure that our students are fed and ready to learn. If such a solution is not possible, this bill will ensure that we are ready to act legislatively if necessary.  Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to ensure every student is nourished and ready to learn.

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