Ratify Autograph Dietary Requirements For Free

(HARTFORD, CT) ? Governor Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker today announced plans to expand Connecticut's free school meals program for the 2023-2024 school year, enabling more students to receive access to nutritious breakfast and lunch at no additional cost to them or their families.

All students can participate in school nutrition programs; however, students with family incomes under 130 percent of the federal poverty line are eligible for free meals, and those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty line are eligible for low-cost (or ?reduced-price?) meals.

All students can participate in school nutrition programs; however, students with family incomes under 130 percent of the federal poverty line are eligible for free meals, and those with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of the poverty line are eligible for low-cost (or ?reduced-price?) meals.

Breakfast and lunch are free at all California schools ? no application is required. It's an important step to ensuring children are healthy, fed and ready to learn.

Foster children who are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals. Children participating in their school's Head Start program are eligible for free meals. Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.

More than 80% of LAUSD students qualify for free or reduced lunch under federal guidelines, a figure that's 20% higher than the state average. The L.A. Unified School District, the second largest in the country, already gives out over 400,000 free meals a day.

California's Universal Meals Program requires very high poverty schools to participate in a federal provision. The California State Legislature allocates funds to provide state meal reimbursement to cover the cost of the Universal Meals Program.