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Meals for most New Mexico students will remain free this year. Here’s why – Las Cruces Sun-News

Jul 17th, 2022

For two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal emergency funding provided free meals to public school students across the United States regardless of income.

That ended July 1 when the federal Keep Kids Fed Acttook effect, effectively reinstating meal fees including copays for students who qualify for reduced price meals. Although it increases reimbursement rates for meals schools provide, the law also ends waivers that for two years ensured free meals for all students regardless of income.

This would have a broad impact in New Mexico, where 71 percent of public school students qualify either for free or reduced-price meals based on family income. Education advocates have linked regular meals to overall health and educational outcomes. Moreover, if fewer students participate in school meals, it reduces revenue on which some nutrition departments depend for sustaining services.

Those qualifying for reduced-price meals are from households with family incomes between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level a maximum of about $51,000 for a family of four, per PED, which estimates 56,683 qualifying students in New Mexico.

More:NM suffers service industry worker shortage, but positions lack pay, protection and benefits

The maximum household income for students qualifying for free meals is about $36,000 for a family of four. An estimated 179,737 students in New Mexico qualify.

Parents apply for free or reduced-price meals through their schools, typically at the start of a school year.

While the federal promise of free meals for all students ended, New Mexico has a backup plan:A lawpassed by state lawmakers in 2020, prior to the pandemic, will cover copays for students who qualify for reduced-price meals. The maximum copay is 40 cents.

The bill was co-sponsored by state Rep. Willie Madrid, D-Chaparral, and fellow Democrat Melanie Stansbury prior to her election to Congress. It was enacted by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham as part of an initiative addressing hunger and food insecurity in New Mexico.

For two years, the bill's annual appropriation of $625,000 reverted to the state's general fund because federal pandemic aid covered meals for all students.

"This safety net could mean the difference between a full belly and an empty one for many of our kids, and you cant learn on an empty stomach," state Secretary of Education Kurt Steinhaus wrote in a department news release highlighting the state funding.

A2020 legislative analysisestimated 55 percent of New Mexico children in New Mexico live in low-income families with increased risk of diet-related health problems, while 26 percent were food insecure. These and other conditions make schools a critical point of access to food and information about healthy eating habits.

Algernon D'Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451,adammassa@lcsun-news.comor@AlgernonWriteson Twitter.

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Meals for most New Mexico students will remain free this year. Here's why - Las Cruces Sun-News

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