CA Tax-Funded Program Gives Free Student Meals To All

CALIFORNIA — California just became the first state to enact its own universal meal program.

This academic year, all 6.2 million of the Golden State's public school students can receive two free meals per day, thanks to a new taxpayer-funded program.

Students in grades kindergarten through 12, regardless of family income, are now eligible for a free breakfast and lunch. The universal meal effort started last year, but it was the federal government that was footing the bill. This time, the program will be supported by taxpayer money.

Some $150 million in one-time funding was allocated during the 2021-22 school year for campuses to upgrade kitchens and bolster nutrition related staff training to prepare for the universal program, according to the California Department of Education.

Under Assembly Bill 130, public and charter schools are required to provide two " nutritiously adequate school meals free of charge" each day. The bill also requires the department of education to reimburse school districts for costs accrued.

All students in the state were automatically enrolled in the Universal Meals Program, but not all students are required to accept the meals. Food will only be given to students who request a meal.

The state's universal meal effort began last year but the federal government funded most of that program. The idea to launch the initiative began gaining serous traction during the first year of the pandemic. The program was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom last July.

Some California schools were already one step ahead of the state program. Merced Union High School was already serving free breakfast and lunch, with the intention of taking the pressure off students in the lunch line, ABC7 reported.

"When a student would come through a lunch line and they were considered to be a free student, it would create definitely a barrier with getting meals during the day," Erin Tassey, MUHSD's director of nutritional services, told ABC7.

And the Los Angeles Unified School District is taking the program a step farther by offering three free meals a day to students instead of two. The district said more than 81 percent of its students come from families who face food insecurity, the Los Angeles Times reported.

On average, 1 out of every 5 Californians — 8 million people — do not know where their next meal will come from, according to the California Association of Food Banks. Food insecurity is also more likely to affect Black and Latinx populations.

"Food insecurity has serious impacts on an individual’s well-being, which may result in poor school attendance and performance, lowered workplace productivity, and physical and mental health problems," according to the association.