Elementary school kids go through the lunch line. Cuts to the nation’s largest food assistance program may cause students to lose access to free breakfast and lunch. (Photo by Marcus Constantino for West Virginia Watch)
Cuts to the U.S.’s largest food assistance program, SNAP, endanger students’ access to free breakfast and lunch. Over 1 million American children have lost SNAP benefits due to recent legislation. As schools resume, these children risk losing vital meal access, crucial for hunger prevention and educational success.
Many students qualify for free meals through SNAP or Medicaid participation. Thus, reductions in these programs threaten their eligibility. Schools offering universal free meals rely on federal funding linked to SNAP rates, so enrollment changes could jeopardize funding.
“Cuts to SNAP are not going to stop at the grocery store,” said Clarissa Hayes of the Food Research & Action Center. “They really are going to threaten children’s access to school meals, which is obviously going to increase hunger at home and in the classroom, and is going to have that negative ripple effect across children’s health and academic performance.”
Importance of school meals
For Tennessee parent Anthony Bonner, the school year’s start ensures his son receives a free breakfast and lunch daily, easing his financial burden. Since losing their $250 monthly SNAP benefits due to federal changes, Bonner struggles to provide enough food.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision reimburses schools for free meals based on SNAP participation. Schools in high-poverty areas may maintain meal eligibility, but those with mixed economic levels could lose it as SNAP participation declines.
This summer, Miami-Dade County Public Schools announced it would no longer offer free meals at all schools due to changes in federal reimbursement eligibility. Marion County Public Schools in Kentucky faces funding uncertainty as well, with declining SNAP enrollment threatening future meal funding.
Changing federal landscape
Last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduced new SNAP eligibility requirements, leading to over 5.6 million people losing coverage. This rapid decline in SNAP benefits raises concerns about states potentially dropping out of the program due to increased administrative costs.
Nine states currently provide free meals for all students, but even they could experience financial upheaval as SNAP calculations change. In Maine, more than 15,000 residents lost SNAP coverage since last year, potentially impacting state funding for school meals.
