The pandemic-era federal aid that made school meals available for free to all public school students ended this past school year. Officials have stated that breakfast consumption under the free meals program increased by 16%, compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Since the federal program ended and congressional efforts to extend free meals for all students has been unsuccessful, the PA Department of Education, in conjunction with the Governor’s office, tapped into prior year funding from the School Food Services General Fund appropriation and announced a $21.5 million plan to provide free school breakfast for all students across the Commonwealth this school year.
The Universal Free Breakfast Program will go into effect on October 1, 2022 and run through the end of the 2022-23 school year. Regardless of whether or not students qualify for free or reduced meals, all are eligible to participate in this free breakfast program. More than 1.7 million Pennsylvania children enrolled in public schools, intermediate units, charter schools, career and technology schools, and childcare institutions that participate in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs are part of this state-funded program.
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