More students gain eligibility for free school meals under expanded US program

The federal government announced millions of school children across the country are eligible for breakfast and lunch at no cost by loosening requirements for low-income districts to qualify.

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National News

September 26, 2023 - 2:18 PM

More students are eating free school lunches since districts across the country have begun taking advantage of an expanded USDA free meals program. Photo by Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/MCT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of additional students in schools serving low-income communities will be eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost under a rule change announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

At schools where 25% of families participate in income-based public benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, the federal government now will cover the cost of free meals for all enrolled students. Previously, the qualifying threshold was 40%.

Roughly 3,000 additional school districts serving more than 5 million students…

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