CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Students in the Clarksville-Montgomery County school system may soon lose access to free food waivers provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through a program due to expire on Thursday, June 30th.
The waivers are part of the USDA’s child nutrition program, which has been providing free meals to CMCSS students for the past two years. CMCSS spokesman Anthony Johnson told Clarksville Now that the USDA has not yet said whether the rejections are on the table this school year.
“The USDA has not indicated that it will extend the exemption for school districts to continue to offer free student meals for the 2022-2023 school year. For the past two school years, CMCSS has been able to provide free breakfast and lunch to students each school day due to USDA refusals, ”Johnson said.
Johnson said unless the CMCSS receives another notification from the USDA, the region will have to return to its normal methods of paying for food in August.
Johnson also said the CMCSS would have to end summer meals in June and return to its normal food payment methods when schools return to the August session.
National conversation
At the federal level, efforts are being made to maintain food refusals. Johnson specifically mentioned the efforts of Senator Debbie Stabenov (D-Michigan), chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
Stabenow is sponsoring legislation called the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act, which calls on the US Congress to extend the release for another two years.
“For families, this means that more children can receive free meals in the summer and often in a more flexible way, such as being able to take food for a week or deliver food to their home on the school bus,” Stabenov wrote in report of the commission in March.
Johnson hoped for Stabenow’s efforts, but said CMCSS families should be prepared to pay for their students’ food in the fall.
“We have no information when or if this will pass,” Johnson said. “Families will continue to be strongly encouraged to pre-deposit funds in a student’s online account. More information will be announced before the next school year. “
Johnson provided Clarksville Now with estimated food prices, which are as follows:
Meal prices for primary school students
Breakfast (full payment): $ 1.00
Breakfast (reduced): $ 0.30
Lunch (full payment): $ 2.65
Lunch (reduced): $ 0.40
Food prices for average students
Breakfast (full payment): $ 1.15
Breakfast (reduced): $ 0.30
Lunch (full payment): $ 2.85
Lunch (reduced): $ 0.40
Johnson said families who believe their children qualify for free or reduced meals are filling out the 2022-2023 school application.
These applications are available from Monday, July 18 at www.schoolcafe.com. Paper applications can be picked up at a student’s enrolled school.
Add Comment