Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction requests funding for universal free school meals in upcoming budget

Could Wisconsin become the next state to offer universal free school meals to students? The state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction hopes so after she requested funding in the state’s upcoming budget to go toward providing free school meals to all students in the state. Meanwhile, at the federal level, a U.S. representative has introduced a bill in the House that would provide to schools with training and resources to better serve students with religious dietary needs. 

Here’s the latest in school nutrition legislation. 

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction asks for universal free school meals funding 

Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jill Underly would like Wisconsin to be the next state to offer free school meals to all students. Underly made a 2025-27 Biennial Budget Request to include just under $294 million to go toward providing free school meals to all students in the state. 

The funding would also be used to establish a buy local program for schools, expand the school breakfast program to include independent charter schools and raise the breakfast reimbursement rate to $0.15 per breakfast, fully fund the School Day Milk Program which allows elementary schools in the state to be reimbursed for every milk served to students who are eligible for free or reduced price meals, and establish a new grant  program to allow schools to purchase milk coolers or equipment to convert to bulk milk dispensers.

“Access to food is one of the most basic human needs, and yet many Wisconsin kids are telling us they don’t know when – or if – they will have their next meal,” Dr. Underly said in a statement. “When we make sure all our kids are properly nourished, we are nurturing the leaders of tomorrow. My budget proposal makes sure that every kid, no matter their background, has access to the nutrition they need to succeed at no cost.”

Nine states currently offer universal free school meals, including California, Maine and Minnesota.

Federal bill would provide halal and kosher meal training to schools 

U.S. Representative Grace Meng (D-NY) has introduced a bill aimed at providing schools with the resources to better serve students who have religious dietary needs.  

If passed, H.R. 9980 would establish an Office of Kosher and Halal Foods within in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Office would be responsible for advising the USDA on the needs of students with religious dietary restrictions who participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. 

In addition, the bill would expand the amount of kosher or halal certified foods in USDA’s food procurement and would also provide training and other educational resources for schools on how to better serve students with religious dietary restrictions. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Education and the Workforce.