New bill seeks to raise the reimbursement rate for school lunch

A lawmaker has introduced a bill in Congress that would increase the reimbursement rate for school lunches.

The Level Up Nutrition for Children in Every School (LUNCHES) Act would increase the reimbursement rate to 59.5 cents per meal.

Earlier this year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) raised the reimbursement rate to provide schools with an additional 25 cents per lunch to help combat rising food costs.

Editors note: Based on the explanation in Section 4(b)(2) of the Richard B. Russell National 4 School Lunch Act, the national average reimbursement rate referenced in the Level Up Nutrition for Children in every school (LUNCHES) Act is that for a paid lunch in a school lunch program where fewer than 60% of meals being served are free or reduced price.