Mountain View Elementary is one of seven Hawaii schools that will offer free meals to students during the upcoming school year.
The Hawaii Department of Education has announced it will implement a U.S. Department of Agriculture pilot program this school year at seven public schools, which will allow all students at those schools to receive free meal service.
“One major factor in the future of the program is the high cost of a meal in Hawaii compared with the much lower rates around the country,” stated Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “We’re grateful for this opportunity to participate in this pilot to benefit families in need.”
The program, called the Community Eligibility Provision, allows a school district, a group of schools or a single school to serve free meals to everyone even if they do not qualify for the free or reduced lunch reimbursement.
In addition to Mountain View, five schools on Molokai and one on Oahu are participating in the pilot program.
“The schools were chosen so that the Department can analyze how families and students in a single island community such as Molokai, respond to the program while also giving officials the chance to study the impact of individual schools in separate and distinct districts on Oahu and Hawaii Island,” said Dann Carlson, Office of School Facilities and Support Services Assistant Superintendent.
To qualify for CEP, a district, grouping or school must have a minimum of 40 percent or more of its students eligible for free or reduced meals through the National School Lunch Program.
Currently, the DOE pays an average of $5.50 per meal. The USDA reimburses the state $3.67 for students who qualify for a free meal and 40 cents for those paying for a meal. HIDOE charges $2.50 for elementary school lunch, and $1.10 for elementary school breakfast. Between reimbursements and payments, HIDOE recoups about $2.90 of the $5.50 cost of each meal. The state pays for the balance out of the General Fund.
Under the program, all students in a CEP school would qualify for the higher $3.67 reimbursement. While the seven pilot schools will no longer be collecting meal monies and ensuring accounts have sufficient funds, families will be required to provide information for data collection.