School district could offer all students free lunch

DANVILLE, Ill. — Whoever said there's no such thing as a free lunch may have been wrong — at least where it concerns Danville schools students.

Officials said Thursday they hope to begin offering free breakfasts and lunches served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs to all students, regardless of their household income, starting next school year. Students would still pay for a la carte items, offered at Danville High and two middle schools.

"The exciting thing is this allows students greater access to nutritional meals," food service Director Greg Lazzell said, adding some students may not get them outside of school.

The school board will review the program at its meeting on Wednesday. It could vote on whether to participate later this month.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Community Eligibility Program, made possible under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, gives schools that serve predominantly low-income children a new option for meal certification.

As of Dec. 31, 81.2 percent of the district's 6,000 or so students were eligible to receive free or reduced meals, according to Lazzell.

Under the provision, schools aren't required to collect or process applications for free or reduced-priced meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. Instead, they serve all meals at no cost and are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students identified for free meals, using information from other programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families and now Medicaid.

Lazzell said the district would be reimbursed the full rate for all students, based on the multiplier that determines those rates. If the district continues to serve the same number of meals, Lazzell said it stands to gain an additional $35,000 in revenue.