Tornado Alley (PROG)

[12yearplan]

Parents of students who are eligible for reduced-price school meals can no longer be charged processing or “junk” fees along with the cost of the meal beginning in the 2027-28 school year, officials announced earlier this month.
 
The policy, announced by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Nov. 1, aims to lower costs for those who make roughly $57,720 or less as a family of four. Officials estimate that the decision will benefit more than 1 million students who receive reduced-price meals served through the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Program.
 
Students who are eligible for reduced-price meals cannot be charged more than 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch by law. But a federal report released in July found that when parents pay schools for their students’ meals, they often have to shell out for extra fees—as much as 60 cents for every dollar—that go to third-party payment processing companies.
https://www.edweek.org/leadership/no-more-school-lunch-fees-for-low-income-families-usda-says/2024/11?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us