Feeding the Future: NYS Mandates Free School Meals
BY EVA BROWN ’27
Imagine worrying about your future with an entire school day ahead of you: SAT scores, a math test, AP quizzes, and more. Now imagine doing that with a rumbling stomach. This was the harsh reality for most students in New York until the start of this school year, when New York state established the Universal Free School Meals program, also known as Section 915a.
The Universal Free School Meals program, also known as Section 915a, is an amendment to the New York State Education Law, and mandates that public schools offer free school breakfasts and lunches to all students, regardless of their financial profiles. Before the law, only some students, whose families met certain income requirements, had access to free school lunch. This law now allows more than 2.7 million students across New York to receive free school breakfast and lunch, ensuring that no student goes hungry.
In a press release, Governor Kathy Hochul’s office said that the program “will build on federal support to save parents money, combat food insecurity among New York’s children, and create more opportunities for student success.”
Hochul also commented on the program’s overall impact on students’ mental and physical wellness throughout the day. She said, “I’m fighting to make school meals free for all New York City students, providing every young person with the nutrition they need to thrive in the classroom.”
Along with New York City students, Jericho High School students and staff also welcome the program. Robyn Goldthwaite, a lunch lady at Jericho High School, observed an increase in demand for school food. She said, “There have been more kids getting free breakfast in the mornings and more people on the lunch line.”
Students have even reported improved focus levels with the free breakfasts and lunches. Aashna A. ’27 embraces the new program because “it became more convenient to eat in the morning, which made me concentrate more throughout the day.”
School psychologist Dr. Danielle Smith praises the new free food access for supporting both student learning and overall wellness.“As an adolescent, to deprive oneself of food is really dangerous,” said Dr. Smith. Now, with access to free food, students are putting themselves in healthier states of mind and body for a productive day. Tahirah C. ’27 agrees that access to free nutritious lunches enable her to be more productive academically while also improving overall well-being. Tahirah said, “[the Universal Free School Meals program] allowed me to get a meal any time of day, without worries, while also eating food with the nutrients that are essential to learning and my health.”
The Universal Free School Meals program offers countless benefits, with only one drawback: longer lines as students eagerly line up to fuel their bodies and minds.