Purpose/Objective: To describe the perceived benefits and barriers to move beyond Community Eligibility Provisions (CEP) and initiating Universal Free Meals (UFM) in all districts across the U.S. that choose to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Methods: Cross-sectional survey conducted in…

The federal government has a long history of investing in programs for feeding children, starting with federal aid for school lunch programs in the 1930s. Today, federal child nutrition programs support food served to children in schools and a variety of other institutional settings. The child nutrition programs support meals and snacks served to…

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 allows school districts to provide free meals to all students if over 40 percent of them are directly certified as free-meal eligible. While emerging evidence documents positive effects on student behavior and academics, critics worry that CEP has unintended…

The next President of the United States has an enormous responsibility--and opportunity--to provide an equitable foundation for a new generation of learners. The magnitude of the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the importance of schools as community anchors that children and families rely on for much more than an education. This document…

As with most things in life, managing student meal charges is all about balance. To be successful, the program needs to include a fair and reasonable policy, to serve nutritious and flavorful meals, and to include students as active stakeholders in the program. A plan that acknowledges simple forgetfulness, explains expectations of all…

Although the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP) help ensure that many low-income children have enough nutritious food to eat, some studies have suggested that the programs could be more efficient and cost-effective. In particular, concerns have been raised about erroneous payments that reimburse schools for…

Public education is like riding a roller-coaster, except that in education the thrill tends to come on the way up, when the economy is flying high, and funding is flush and the future feels as bracing as the wind rushing past. However, this is not one of those times. The economy seems to be almost in free fall. Optimism plummets with each…

"Kids Count in Colorado!" is an annual publication of the Colorado Children's Campaign, which provides the best available state- and county-level data to measure and track the education, health and general well-being of the state's children. "Kids Count in Colorado!" informs policy debates and community discussions, serving as…

This publication is a comprehensive record of testimony and exhibits presented to a subcommittee of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry of the U.S. Senate during hearings on five proposed bills that would have extended and/or revised the various child nutrition programs financed by the federal government. The hearings were conducted on April…

This guide was developed for fiscal policy team members to familiarize them with district policies, processes, available data, mandated responsibilities, and other requirements essential to federal and state funded school nutrition program operations. The guide is divided into nine sections: (1) organization and administration; (2) human resources…

The objectives of this NEFP satellite study were to project the total school food service and nutrition education needs to 1980, and to develop alternative fiscal models to meet these needs. Data from questionnaires mailed to all States revealed that numerous deficiencies exist in food service programs and nutrition education. This situation is…

The Center for Public Policy Priorities supports HB 2574. Why encourage school districts to offer free meals to all students? The link between adequate nutrition and improved academic performance creates a clear incentive for Texas to increase participation in the school breakfast and lunch programs, particularly among low-income children.…

A condensation of ideas generated during the 1982 Conference on More with Less, this guide presents methods of saving money, increasing student participation, and influencing decision-makers to maintain school meal programs in the face of reduced federal support. For each topic, specific suggestions, a brief case study, and addresses of resource…

Problems facing vocational education and child nutrition programs if proposed funding cuts take effect were detailed by vocational educators and nutrition specialists at a regional hearing of the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education in Ashland, Kentucky, March 13, and Lexington,…

This guide sets forth federal and Wisconsin state policy regarding administration and financial management of child nutrition programs. The first of the three main sections of the document covers United States Department of Agriculture administrative policies. The topics included in this section are as follows: (1) "Reimbursement"…