Expanding Access to School Meals

Full Title:
Expanding Access to School Meals Act of 2025

Summary#

This bill, the Expanding Access to School Meals Act of 2025, would change federal school meal rules. It would repeal the reduced-price breakfast and lunch categories and stop reimbursements for reduced-price meals. It would raise the income threshold that determines eligibility for free breakfasts and lunches from 130 percent of the federal poverty level to 224 percent. The bill would allow local school districts to directly certify children for free meals by using documentation from State or local agencies, including children who receive Medicaid. It would require local education agencies to revise previously submitted meal claims to reflect a childs free eligibility beginning on the first day of the current school year. It would also set the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) multiplier to 2.5 for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2025. Some conforming amendments to the Child Nutrition Act and National School Lunch Act are included.

What it means for you#

  • If your household income is at or below 224 percent of the federal poverty level, the bill would make your child eligible for free school breakfasts and lunches under the rules in the bill.
  • The separate reduced-price meal category would be removed, so schools would no longer offer reduced-price reimbursements.
  • Schools may use Medicaid and other agency records to certify students for free meals without a separate application, once state agreements and procedures are in place.
  • Local school food authorities must be able to revise meal claims to reflect newly approved free eligibility starting from the first day of the current school year.
  • The CEP multiplier used to estimate free meal eligibility would be 2.5 for school years starting July 1, 2025, affecting how some schools determine eligibility and reimbursements.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on federal costs or funding changes is included in the bill text or provided metadata.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata states the sponsors' detailed reasons or arguments for the bill.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text or provided metadata states opponents' reasons or arguments against the bill.