House bill aims to expand number of students getting free schoo

More students may receive free meals at school under a bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

The School Nutrition Enhancement Act, sponsored by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri and Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut, increases the number of children eligible to receive free meals by phasing out the reduced-price program and raising the income limit on participation from 130 percent to 185 percent of poverty level.

Officials in local schools say they have no way of telling how many more students might benefit from the proposed law, but they think the impact would be favorable.

"You can pick out the kids who really need that meal, the ones who might not have gotten enough to eat the night before," said Liz Aufdenberg, food service director for Jackson schools.

Nearly 800 students in Jackson participate in the free lunch program; 269 receive reduced-price lunches. Cape Girardeau schools have 217 students on reduced-price meals and 1,444 receiving free meals.

But some families can't afford the 40 cents per meal it costs for the reduced-price program, Aufdenberg said. Those students either don't eat or bring something from home.

Either way, the school loses out on reimbursements. Schools now receive 21 cents per meal for children paying full price, $1.79 per meal for reduced price and $2.19 per meal for free lunches from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

But if the reduced-price meal is eliminated and those students sign up for free lunches, that means more money for schools.

"Our ultimate goal is to feed more kids, and this law would allow us to do more of that," said Lisa Elfink, Cape Girardeau schools' food service director.

On Nov. 5, the bill was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce.