Districts favor child nutrition bill
More fruit, vegetables likely on school menus
A bill that promises more hungry schoolchildren would receive meals and better quality food has passed Congress and was awaiting the president’s signature Friday.
Reauthorization of the child nutrition bill would expand the availability of meals to low-income and at-risk children, including during summertime; support innovative ways of getting food to children when school’s out; automatically enroll foster children in the free lunch program; and allow schools in high-poverty areas to offer free lunches without filling out the paperwork.
“All in all it seems like a real positive for families and nutrition,” said Doug Wordell, Spokane Public Schools’ director of nutrition services.
The bill has been stalled in Congress for more than a year as Republicans tried to block the $4.5 billion program they say is too costly, according to numerous news reports.
Wordell and Ed Ducar, director of nutrition services for Coeur d’Alene School District, were thrilled to hear Friday that it was moving forward because as food prices have soared, the federal reimbursement has not kept up, making it harder to provide quality meals.
“The same dollar this year buys less than it did last year,” Wordell said, adding that three years ago food costs jumped by more than 20 percent. Prices have continued to rise while the reimbursement has increased just 2.9 percent each year.
During the past two years, the percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches also has increased – 8 percent in Coeur d’Alene since 2008 and nearly 5 percent in Spokane Public Schools. School officials believe there are still more who qualify whose families are too proud or overwhelmed to fill out the paperwork.
The bill expands a program – direct certification – that identifies students whose families already receive other government assistance to also include those on Medicaid. Once a family is identified, districts notify them that they qualify for free or reduced meals.
In addition, the federal government would offer cash bonuses to districts that do the most thorough job of using the direct certification program to qualify students.
“I think this will help capture some more kids,” Ducar said. “What we want to be able to do is provide a good meal for children, and that takes some of the stress off families.”
Both Inland Northwest districts have increased the number of schools where students have access to fresh fruit and vegetables as well as whole grains. Wordell has added whole wheat tortillas and pizza crust, for example. The bill would also reimburse school districts that offer higher quality food.
“The overall goal (of the bill) is to increase child nutrition,” Ducar said. “We are ahead of the game in terms of what we provide.”
If the money promised by the bill comes through, Wordell said, he’d provide “more fruits and vegetables, expand variety, bring in more whole grains and improve protein entrees.”