All school meals would become free for every student under new bill

What does this do?

HR 8798 eliminates the current tiered system of free, reduced-price, and full-price school meals and makes breakfast and lunch free for every child at participating schools. The federal government would reimburse schools starting at $3.28 per breakfast and $5.42 per lunch, with amounts adjusted annually for food cost inflation. Schools using at least 25 percent locally grown food would receive a small additional payment per meal.

Who does it affect?

The bill affects all school-age children and their families, school cafeteria programs, and the many federal programs that currently use free and reduced-price lunch eligibility to measure child poverty. Summer programs, afterschool care programs, child care centers, and juvenile detention facilities would also be included.

Why does it matter?

Because free and reduced-price lunch status is currently used to determine eligibility for programs including workforce training, college preparation grants, child care block grants, and science education funding, the bill creates a new survey-based system to identify low-income students for those purposes. Outstanding unpaid meal debt owed by families would be canceled, with schools reimbursed by the federal government for those balances.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Federal pays $3.28 per breakfast
• Federal pays $5.42 per lunch
• Unpaid meal debt reimbursed

Where does it stand?