Pandemic-era free school meals to end in June without congressional action - El Paso Matters

Since the start of the pandemic, El Paso students have been able to eat breakfast and lunch at no cost. That’s slated to change next school year if Congress doesn’t take action — and soon.

Though not every El Paso district has seen a boost in the number of meals served, area food service directors say universal free meal programs have multiple benefits beyond mere participation numbers. Prior to the pandemic, students qualified for free lunch if their families earned at or below 130% of the federal poverty line. That’s approximately $34,000 for a family of four. Select campuses were able to provide free meals for all students if at least 40% of their students qualified for free or reduced meals.

Though the Socorro Independent School District hasn’t seen a noticeable increase in the number of students eating on campus, having all students covered under the federal waivers has reduced the time staff previously spent collecting paperwork to qualify students for free or reduced meals, said Shelley Chenausky, director of Child Nutrition Services. And, she said, families no longer have to worry about whether there is money in their student’s lunch account or unpaid lunch debt.

Universal free school meal programs have outsized benefits for Latino students, said Amelie Ramirez, director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. Nearly half of the nation’s Latino households — 44.7% — are food insecure, she said, meaning they “are without reliable access to a sufficient quality of affordable and nutritious food.”

Source: Education Headlines (educationheadlines.net)

elpasomatters Thanks, Republicans.

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