Focus Free School Meals on Low-Income Students
A report from the Heritage Foundation argues that the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which makes it possible for all students in a given school or district to receive free school meals, takes resources away from the poorest students by extending free meals to students from wealthy families. Welfare for the Wealthy? Congress Should Immediately Stop Pushing Universal Free School Meals argues that the CEP is too broad and wastes safety net funds on students who do not need help affording school meals, and that repealing it would not impact low-income students’ ability to receive free and reduced-price meals. The authors call for Congress to develop new child nutrition policy that keeps government spending to a minimum while still ensuring that the poorest students can afford to eat.