Free school lunch? Delaware lawmakers consider compromise on free student meals

"Miss Moore? Can you help me buy lunch?"

Rep. Sherae’a Moore couldn't keep student meal debt off her mind. The lawmaker and teacher has even reached into her own pockets on occasion, just hoping to save students embarrassment. She knows they're typically never denied food — but recent years have shown some districts enforcing policies that block social activities, or in some cases offer alternate meals, she said, for those unpaid.

"That is what we're doing to students," Moore said last fall. "And why? We want students to thrive."

The Democrat introduced House Bill 125 last session to start gaining traction, calling for the state to offer free breakfast and lunch for all students in Delaware's public schools. It cleared committee, then stalled due to a hearty fiscal impact. Moore had pressed that her bill would alleviate financial strain on families, assist districts with debt, and set students up for success, all at a price tag just over $30 million.

Today, her vision is meeting some compromise.

Paired with fellow sponsors in Sen. Elizabeth "Tizzy" Lockman and Republican Rep. Bryan Shupe — who looked to propose a very similar bill earlier this session — Moore's HB 125 will now see consideration in the House, with changes.

The House substitute looks to require "all public schools to offer only students who qualify for a reduced-price meal, under the federal School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, a free breakfast and lunch every school day." And that would take effect the next school year, if passed.

The cost here is projected three years out, at around $250,000 for each fiscal year, '25 to '27. And Wednesday, the House Appropriations Committee gave its seal of approval, unanimously sending the revised bill toward the full floor.

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Rep. Shupe said he was excited to see compromise, even if it didn't come in his HB 361 packaging, introduced in late March. That bill similarly looked to target students deemed eligible for assistance.

"I think my role many times as a member of the minority party is to really listen to the legislation that's going through and trying to come up with some unique solutions," he said ahead of the hearing. "In this case, I felt the need to come up with a solution to get at the heart of representative Moore's bill — and that was helping families that are already struggling with the current economy and the inflation."

A spokesperson from ChristianaCare also spoke in favor of the measure in public comment, noting "profound health benefits" for students getting consistent, healthy meals.

There seems to be appetite for reform in this space. Another bill from Rep. Sherry Dorsey Walker — House Bill 263, prohibiting public schools from blocking student participation in a school-sponsored activity on the basis of meal debt — found bipartisan support in March. It passed the House unanimously, still awaiting consideration on the Senate floor after clearing committee.

This debt caught headlines last October, as Smyrna School District denied students at Smyrna High School the chance to buy homecoming tickets. As of this school year, at or above $20, a student's lunch debt had blocked their inclusion in certain school-sanctioned social events in the district.

Another lawmaker, Rep. Eric Morrison, told his committee that previous coverage from Delaware Online/The News Journal found him so "outraged" that he set to bring, or support, something like this in session.

Back in Legislative Hall this week, lawmakers praised Moore's efforts.

Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha thanked his fellow representative for her work, "continuing to press forward to help students have the support that they need, to be the best that they can be in the classrooms."

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Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on X @kpowers01.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Free school lunch? Delaware lawmakers consider compromise on meal debt