Food, not fads: Making Healthy School Meals for All permanent is key to improving public education outcomes
“...kids need, and deserve to eat, regardless of their parents’ incomes, regardless if their parents forgot to pack a lunch that day, regardless of anything that is happening in their lives..."
Representative Justine Caldwell's Healthy School Meals for All, bill H7400, would establish a statewide universal school breakfast and lunch program in Rhode Island public schools.
“This does not mean that every single public school student in Rhode Island will get free breakfast and lunch,” said Representative Caldwell (Democrat, District 30, East Greenwich), testifying before the House Finance Committee on March 7. “This gives students the option to have breakfast and lunch and we have a good idea of what that participation would look like through our years of Covid. We had two years of free meals and we know how many kids got those meals and that was not every child. Some children and their families still elected to bring their lunches.”
The Healthy School Meals for All1 coalition presented written testimony to the Committee in support of the legislation:
“Healthy School Meals for All is an important step toward increasing equity in our schools, investing in education, and streamlining school nutrition programs. It is also one of the most impactful and holistic actions we can take to address hunger in Rhode Island. As we strive to improve academic performance and achieve Massachusetts' educational outcomes, we must follow our neighbor's lead and ensure Rhode Island children are fed for success.
“The pandemic taught us many important lessons - and with school meals, we learned there is a better way to provide vital nutrition to our children. During the pandemic (March 2020 - June 2022), the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) provided funding for schools to offer meals free of charge to all students. This effectively served as a successful trial run of a Healthy School Meals for All policy. Regrettably, the federal pandemic waivers expired before the start of the 22-23 school year and school meal programs are once again operating under a tiered payment system of free, reduced-price, or full-price meals depending on family income eligibility.
“It is time for Rhode Island to lead and ensure our children are hunger-free and ready to learn. With continued inaction at the federal level, states are stepping up to fill the gap. Eight states have already made Healthy School Meals for All permanent including Maine, California, Minnesota, Colorado, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Vermont. An additional 26 states have bills introduced and/or advocacy coalitions formed. Serving school meals to all students at no cost permanently would be a game-changer for students, families, and schools in our state, just as it has been for our neighbors.
“Children and teens cannot learn on an empty stomach. Sadly, there are students in every community in our state in need of a nutritious breakfast and lunch at school who do not qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Findings in the Rhode Island Community Food Bank's recent 2023 Status Report on Hunger in Rhode Island are cause for serious concern. The report shows that a record number of Rhode Islanders are seeking food assistance, with communities of color and families with children at the greatest risk of hunger.
“High food prices continue to take a toll on both low-income and moderate-income families in our state. According to findings from the RI Life Index, food insecurity remains close to the same high level found last year, with 29% of households reporting that they cannot afford adequate food. The risk of hunger is even greater for households with children: 38%. This crisis has health, educational, and economic consequences, leaving children particularly vulnerable to the long-term impact. Food insecurity can lead to a variety of negative health conditions, including diet-related diseases, and has severe consequences on a child's future health. School meals are an important source of nutrition and are a safeguard against chronic food insecurity. Healthy School Meals for All will benefit thousands of students each day and be a major step forward in eliminating health and education inequities.
“The current policy for school meals, whereby some children are expected to pay while others receive their meals for free, creates stigma and shame for students who rely on school meals for their basic needs and serves as an inequitable barrier for students who are not eligible but are still experiencing food insecurity. The current system is antiquated and broken. Rhode Island's education and school nutrition professionals are committed to their mission of keeping kids fed, healthy, and ready to learn, but we must support and invest in our schools to do better for our children.
“School meals are an integral part of the school day and a contributor to student success, and should be no different than textbooks, technology, transportation, access to school nurses, and other services provided to all students in public schools without cost. Universal school meals incentivize greater participation in the school meals program and allow schools to better invest in equipment, staff training, and initiatives such as farm-to-school that focus on scratch cooking.”
BENEFITS OF OFFERING HEALTHY SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL
Reduces the prevalence of child hunger and food insecurity.
Ensures all students are well-nourished and ready to learn.
Supports student well-being.
Improves learning outcomes.
Improves attendance rates.
Reduces stigma associated with eating school meals.
Ends the problem of unpaid school meal debt.
Eases administrative burden for schools.
Supports school nutrition finances and operations.
“The budget needed to support this initiative could be minimized if the state required that school districts maximize access to federal funds by participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, known as CEP, or other federal options. The cost of this expansion is estimated to be $35 million. We believe our children and our schools are worth it - and Rhode Islanders do too. According to the Rhode Island Survey Initiative led by the University of Rhode Island's Harrington School for Communication and Media; the Social Science Institute for Research, Education, and Policy; and the Department of Political Science; 68% approve of legislation that requires free lunches to be provided for all K-12 students attending public schools.”
“…breakfast and lunch are the only things that happen at a public school that are not paid for regardless of a family’s income,” noted Representative Caldwell. “…everything that happens with a public school should be an equalizer. The only place this doesn’t happen is inside the cafeteria. We know that some kids don’t eat in the lunchroom because they are ashamed to be a free lunch kid… Some kids don’t eat because their families don’t qualify for free lunches even though they aren’t making ends meet at home.”
Representative Caldwell also noted that not accessing nutritious lunch and breakfast is not simply an issue of poverty. The Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, in their testimony, contended that “food insecurity and improper nutrition exists across the entire economic spectrum and is not limited to students living in poverty.”
Noting that the promise of food brings kids to school, Representative Caldwell said, “We don't need to search for ways to remedy the absenteeism problem through rewards or fads when a proven investment is right in front of us.” Though she didn’t mention what “rewards or fads” she was referring to, there’s #attendancematterri:
Test scores are also important.
“Before my kids take an important test we all get an email from our superintendent and the first thing it says is, ‘Make sure your child has a good breakfast,’” said Representative Caldwell. “Because we know that a full stomach correlates to better attention spans and higher grades.”
“The fact is that all kids need, and deserve to eat, regardless of their parents’ incomes, regardless if their parents forgot to pack a lunch that day, regardless of anything that is happening in their lives outside of school,” said Representative Caldwell. “Because school is a place where every kid should be feeling safe, protected, and equal to all of their peers.”
The Healthy School Meals for All held a press conference last Thursday:
The Healthy School Meals for All Coalition includes the American Academy of Pediatrics - RI Chapter, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American College of Cardiology - RI Chapter, American Heart Association, Aquidneck Community Table, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Care Transformation Collaborative Rhode Island, City of Providence - Department of Housing & Human Services, Farm Fresh RI, FoodCorps, Hope & Main, League of Women Voters of Newport County, National Education Association Rhode Island, Oasis International, Open Door Health, Parents Leading for Educational Equity RI, Protect Our Healthcare RI, Rhode Island Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, Rhode Island AFL-CIO, Rhode Island Alliance of YMCAs, Rhode Island Association of School Business Officials, Rhode Island Association of School Principals, Rhode Island Certified School Nurse Teachers Association, Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families, Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals, Rhode Island Food Policy Council, Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition, Rhode Island Kids Count, Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island Public Health Institute, Rhode Island School Superintendents' Association, Rhode Island State Nurses Association, Rhode Island Student Assistance Services, The Womxn Project, Washington County Coalition for Children, West Warwick Health Equity Zone, Woonsocket Health Equity Zone, and Young Voices.