Idaho students will continue to receive school meals during government shutdown
Idaho families don’t have to worry about their children losing access to school meals as the federal government shutdown continues.
Amid concerns that families could see lapses in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, the largest food assistance program in the country, school nutrition programs will continue running normally for now.
Andrea Dearden, spokesperson for the Idaho Department of Education, told the Idaho Statesman in an email that the state has continued to receive federal funding and hasn’t received “any information to indicate any imminent changes.”
The child nutrition programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provides reimbursements for Idaho school districts for the meals they provide.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in an Oct. 1 memo to states that funding had been provided for Child Nutrition Programs “at least through October.” School districts are reimbursed for the meals they provide in October during November. The department can tap into contingency funding sources to prevent a lapse in reimbursements, according to the agency’s lapse of funding plan.
Heading into November, the department has been sharing with states that “there’s really no concern” that November meals wouldn’t be covered, said Clarissa Hayes, a deputy director with the Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger.
“Thankfully, USDA does have these backup sources of funding for situations like this,” she told the Idaho Statesman. “At this point, what we’re hearing is that there is no immediate concern to school meals and USDA is going to do everything that they can to fund those programs.”
Depending on how much longer the shutdown continues for though, it’s possible there could be issues down the line, she said.
On Oct. 23, the Idaho Child Nutrition Program told schools in an email that the nutrition programs will continue operating during a short-term shutdown but warned that “the longer a shutdown continues, the greater the likelihood of delays and challenges.” The email, provided to the Statesman, said schools should keep serving breakfast and lunch, and that childcare and afterschool programs should keep providing meals and snacks. It said if the shutdown lasts beyond October, reimbursements could be delayed.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump’s administration said it would let funding for the SNAP program, often referred to as food stamps, lapse during the shutdown, putting millions of people across the country at risk of losing the assistance they rely on to buy food for their families. A federal judge ruled Friday that the administration had to use emergency funds for the program, according to The New York Times. Still, what will happen in the next few days remains unclear.
‘No student goes hungry’
The Boise School District on its website reassured families it will continue to offer school breakfast and lunch as usual “regardless of the ongoing shutdown.” The district serves free breakfast to students at each of its schools and provides free lunch to all students at around 20 of its schools. At its other schools, students can qualify for free or reduced price meals.
“Your child’s access to nutritious, balanced meals remains our top priority. We’re committed to ensuring that no student goes hungry — school meals will not be affected,” the district said in a note on its website.
Spokesperson Dan Hollar told the Statesman in an email that the district has not been “advised of any immediate interruption to meal service or reimbursements,” but that it will keep monitoring the situation and will communicate with families if anything changes.
The district partners with the Idaho Foodbank and City of Good to offer food pantries at seven of its schools, he said, and the Boise Public Schools Foundation will help provide grocery gift cards to district families who receive SNAP benefits if that assistance lapses.
The West Ada School District said its priority is to make sure students don’t go hungry.
“West Ada will always make sure every child is fed — that’s always been our policy and it will not change,” spokesperson Michelle Edmonds said in an email.
The federal government has supported school meals for decades. Providing meals has been shown to reduce food insecurity and improve children’s health and learning.
“For many families, school meals are potentially the only meals that these students are getting in a day, and they are proven to be nutritious and healthy,” Hayes said. “They help ensure that kids are engaged and ready to learn and socialize at school.”
Families can apply for free and reduced price meals for their children if they meet certain income guidelines. Students automatically qualify if their families receive other governmental assistance, such as SNAP benefits. Around 45% of students in Idaho are eligible for the free and reduced price meals, according to the most recent data from the State Department of Education. Any possible delays in SNAP benefits during the shutdown won’t impact student eligibility for school meals, according to the School Nutrition Association, a national nonprofit organization.
Idaho organizations and community members are also taking steps to help families if they lose their SNAP benefits in November, according to previous Statesman reporting. The Idaho Foodbank has seen a “generous amount of donations and support” and the Boise Farmers Market plans to give SNAP recipients funds to use on items such as meat, cheese, bread and vegetables.
