Raleigh County students to get free meals in '24-25

Josephine Moore, The Register-Herald, Beckley, W.Va.
·2 min read
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May 6—Raleigh County Schools will offer free breakfasts and lunches to students in all grade levels starting next school year.

The Raleigh County Board of Education approved the decision during a special meeting Monday morning.

Raleigh County Schools Superintendent Serena Starcher said she's pleased that the district can offer this at a time when the financial burden on families is increasing elsewhere.

"Certainly, we know kids can't learn as well as we need them to if they're hungry, and this will meet a vital piece of student learning just by making sure they have full bellies," Starcher said. "... The prices of everything just continue to rise, and if we can take this burden from parents and families, then we're happy to do that. We're thrilled to do."

Free school meals in Raleigh County Schools will begin for the 2024-25 school year.

Starcher said they are able to offer free meals by adopting the Comprehensive Eligibility Provision for all schools.

Previously, Starcher said only their elementary schools were enrolled in the program.

The Community Eligibility Provision is a National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program meal service option that allows schools and school districts in high-poverty areas to offer meals at no cost to all students without collecting household applications.

Rather than collecting school meal applications to make individual student eligibility determinations, schools that adopt the Comprehensive Eligibility Provision are reimbursed using a set formula.

Darrin Butcher, treasurer and chief school business official for Raleigh County Schools, said implementing the program district-wide is expected to come at no additional cost to the county.

"Based on today's calculations and an overall district-wide percent needy of around 93 percent, that puts Raleigh County in a position where we're able to offer this program at essentially a break-even point for the district," Butcher said. "But everything with this is obviously not about dollars and cents — this is about kids. So this is a great win for the students in our county."

Email: jmoore@register-herald.com