House proposals to cut reduced-price school meals in a reconciliation bill could affect 24,000 high-need schools serving more than 12 million students, according to an antihunger group.
The Food Research and Action Center said a House Ways and Means Committee proposal to cut $12 billion in school meals would dramatically cut the number of schools able to qualify under the Community Eligibility Provision. It also could impose “burdensome” paperwork requirements that would limit access to free and reduced school meals in non-CEP schools.
CEP schools are reimbursed based on students’ participation in other food assistance programs such as SNAP. If 25% of students receive these benefits, a school qualifies for the program without the need for departments to process school meal forms.
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However, the House GOP proposal would increase the eligibility threshold from 25% to 60% of students from families eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“Taking away this important and effective way for local schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no charge to all of their students would increase hunger in the classroom, reintroduce unnecessary paperwork for families and schools, increase school meal debt, and bring stigma back into the cafeteria,” FRAC wrote in a post.
The proposal would also require families who apply and are approved for free and reduced school meals at non-CEP schools to submit additional paperwork. This could add administrative burdens on schools and cut access to meals for many eligible students, according to FRAC.
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