“It’s just the right thing to do:” New bill proposes free meals for all Delaware students
DELAWARE – Delaware lawmakers are considering a new bill that would provide breakfast and lunch to all students for free.
House Bill 125 would require schools to offer both meals daily. Schools would be reimbursed for the cost by the Delaware Department of Education and the USDA. During the pandemic, the USDA eased restrictions on school meal programs, giving all students access to free breakfast and lunch. In June of 2022, the USDA waivers expired and Delaware schools participating in the USDA School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program were required to return to pre-pandemic policies.
Representative Rae Moore (D) is the primary sponsor of the bill. She emphasized that there is a direct connection between proper nutrition and positive student outcomes: “This is a start to do something that shouldn’t even be coined as innovative. It’s just the right thing to do. Providing the proper nutrition for students so they can succeed in school.”
Rep. Moore said she ran for office as a mother and an educator, both of which inform her perspective as a lawmaker when considering the needs of students: “You never know who’s hungry, and you never know what their financial situation is. And I don’t believe that students should be penalized for not knowing and understanding their parents’ financial situation.”
In its current state, HB125 would cost just north of $120 million over three years, which is too steep for critics of the bill. Rep. Moore defended the spending by noting that you “can’t put a price on student success.”
The bill now heads to the house floor for debate.
