March 26, 2024

Several states have passed permanent universal school meal programs after Congress allowed the temporary nationwide policy to expire, leading to increased student participation in meal programs, according to a report by the Food Research & Action Center. However, the report also highlights a decline in student meal participation nationwide between the 2021-'22 and 2022-'23 school years, signaling the negative impact of most other states reverting to pre-pandemic meal policies.