OLYMPIA, Wash. — For two school years during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government provided waivers for free meals for all students at school. Those waivers have ended, but Washington lawmakers are now considering bills that would make meals free for all students permanently.
Sponsors of House Bill 1238 and Senate Bill 5339 call it the "Washington Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act." If it passes, Washington will join California and Maine in feeding all kids at school at no charge to families, regardless of family income.
The positive impacts of eating well on kids' health and ability to learn have been well-understood for a long time.
"The biology of a young person, no matter where you are on the developmental cycle, whether you're five years old or 18 years old — a lack of calories during learning is a significant distraction for them," said Chris Reykdal, Washignton's Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Reykdal announced a plan last September to cover breakfast and lunch for all of Washington’s 1.1 million students, regardless of family income. Now that plan is backed up with the two bills that are getting their start in the Washington Legislature.
The plan would have the state pay $86 million dollars annually to cover the cost of meals for the remaining 330,000 students not covered under federal programs that provide free or reduced meals.
"It's that tipping point to say, 'isn't it just more efficient to say to everybody, just to come to school and eat?' That’s part of basic ed, that's how Europe does it, it's how Asia does it, the whole globe has said that part of going to school is you eat," said Reykdal.
Proponents say the plan would level the playing field, and end the stigma around who's getting a free lunch and who's not, by feeding everyone's body and mind.
Washington lawmakers already passed legislation last year to pay for meals for students in districts where many families qualify for free or reduced meals — that's about half of all schools — so proponents also argue that the new bills are really just an extension of that effort.
"We're simply saying take it down to zero, now it's time to go the full step," Reykdal said. "Let's get rid of that administrative burden, let's get rid of the shaming."