School meals
Which students get free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch at school, whether meals should be free for every student, what food schools serve, and who pays for it.
What they call for
DemocratsRepublicans21 new members addressed this issue. Many call for more than one thing.
Make school meals free for every student
9 members“Free breakfast and afterschool programs”View on their website ↗
“During her time as Lt. Governor Minnesota passed a historic increase in funding for public education, including expanding special education seats, and she helped spearhead the universal school meal program to keep kids fed and lower grocery bills for parents, so everyone can focus on what’s most important, learning.”View on their website ↗
“Desayuno y almuerzo gratuito en las escuelas
Los programas de desayuno y almuerzo gratuito han sido un éxito increíble en todo el país. Es hora de hacer este programa universal.”View on their website ↗“I support universal free school meals, so no child is singled out in the cafeteria line because their parents can’t afford lunch.”View on their website ↗
“In the legislature, Troy fought hard to successfully lower prescription drug prices, passed universal school meals, protected union jobs, expanded rural health care, delivered property tax relief, safeguarded our environment, and championed and passed some of the strongest reproductive health protections anywhere in the country.”View on their website ↗
“As Senate President, he fought to lower prescription drug costs, pass universal school meals, deliver property tax relief, protect rural health care, defend our environment, and make sure Maine workers get fair wages, decent benefits, and a voice on the job.”View on their website ↗
“The new coalition, Families for Troy, highlights support from educators and families who praise Jackson’s efforts in the Maine legislature fighting for issues affecting the next generation of Mainers, like universal school meals, lowering child care costs, and securing paid family leave.”View on their website ↗
“A fifth-generation logger, union member, and former Maine Senate President, Jackson has delivered lower prescription drug costs, universal school meals, paid family and medical leave, and collective bargaining rights for loggers.”View on their website ↗
“MEA pointed to Jackson’s decades-long record of standing with working people and fighting for teachers and public education — from securing investments in Maine schools, raising wages for school employees, protecting the pension system, and delivering universal school meals so every student can learn on a full stomach.”View on their website ↗
“Former President Barack Obama endorsed Troy Jackson for U.S. Senate yesterday, highlighting the fifth-generation logger’s working-class roots and record of lowering prescription drug costs, raising wages, delivering free school meals, and protecting abortion rights.”View on their website ↗
“This year, he voted to continue funding free, universal school meals, fully fund education at 55 percent, invest in career and technical education, and provide two years of free community college for Maine high school graduates from the graduating classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.”View on their website ↗
“Restored Child Tax Credit + Universal School Meals: ~$2,200/year in new CTC money — $6,600 total ($3,600 for the kid under 6 + $3,000 for the school-age kid), now paid monthly, versus the ~$4,400 they already get. And the ~$1,200/year they already save on free school breakfast and lunch stays — federally guaranteed, no longer dependent on the state budget.”View on their website ↗
“In the Michigan Legislature, I helped increase funding to hire more public-school teachers, social workers, and therapists; expand access to free pre-K; and make free school breakfasts and lunch available to all K-12 students.”View on their website ↗
“Mike helped spearhead the creation of tens of thousands of new childcare slots, invested record funding for public schools, implemented free universal school meals for every public school student in the state, expanded tuition-free college for tens of thousands of students, and developed the plan that saved one of Northern California’s top universities from going under.”View on their website ↗
“I’m going to Washington to put federal dollars back in our public schools; to invest in paying our teachers higher wages, nationwide universal free school lunches, expanding early child care resources, providing universal free pre-kindergarten, and broadening the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to fully fund equitable education for all children.”View on their website ↗
Serve food from local farms in school meals
5 members“At Hickory Nut Gap, we partnered with the NC Department of Agriculture to get local grass-fed beef into local schools in our region.”View on their website ↗
“School meals that actually nourish – expand programs to supply schools with food grown by local farmers.”View on their website ↗
“Chief House Sponsor for successful legislation that amends the Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act to establish an electronic database to facilitate the purchase of fresh produce and food products by schools (Public Act 096-1095)”View on their website ↗
“I will push for strong nutrition standards, better access to fresh foods, and the expansion of programs like farm-to-school.”View on their website ↗
“Cyril will protect Medicaid and Medicare, lower drug costs, and expand mental-health care while tackling hunger through SNAP and farm-to-school programs—so families never have to choose between health and food.”View on their website ↗
“Fight hunger as a health issue by defending SNAP, expanding farm-to-school programs, and making fresh food affordable.”View on their website ↗
Protect and fully fund school meal programs
4 members“Protect and expand free and reduced-price school meals”View on their website ↗
“Investing in our public schools by modernizing aging school infrastructure, opposing voucher programs that strip funding from our public education system, fully funding lunch programs for all students who qualify, and increasing funding for early childhood education programs like Head Start.”View on their website ↗
“This year, he voted to continue funding free, universal school meals, fully fund education at 55 percent, invest in career and technical education, and provide two years of free community college for Maine high school graduates from the graduating classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.”View on their website ↗
“Protect school meal programs and expand after-school programs like 21st Century Learning Centers so no child learns hungry and working families have safe, enriching environments for their kids.”View on their website ↗
Expand school meal programs to reach more children
3 members“Protect and expand free and reduced-price school meals”View on their website ↗
“Ensure every Iowa child has access to school lunch and summer lunch so that every child can eat, and every child can learn”View on their website ↗
“Prioritize student health so kids can learn in the classroom: Expand the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs (because no student can learn on an empty stomach!) and add more counselors to ensure kids have the mental health resources and other support they need in school.”View on their website ↗
Make school meals healthier
3 members“School meals that actually nourish – expand programs to supply schools with food grown by local farmers.”View on their website ↗
“I will push for strong nutrition standards, better access to fresh foods, and the expansion of programs like farm-to-school.”View on their website ↗
“Promote healthier school meals and nutrition education”View on their website ↗
Raised the issue without a specific call
2 members“Co-sponsored legislation to study the cost of providing universal free school breakfast and lunch for all Maryland public school students.”View on their website ↗
“Protect the Department of Education: Hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding flood into Iowa schools every year. It funds special education programs, school lunches, and para educators. President Trump has dismantled the department responsible for making sure our most vulnerable kids and communities are protected and that’s wrong.”View on their website ↗
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