In a win for students and families, Utah will soon eliminate reduced-price school meals, making them completely free for qualifying elementary students. Starting July 1, over 40,000 children in kindergarten through sixth grade will receive meals at no cost, thanks to a new bill signed by Governor Spencer Cox. The policy aims to ease financial pressure on families while reducing lunch debt and eliminating stigma in school cafeterias.
Under the new law, families earning up to 185% of the federal poverty level will now qualify for free meals, replacing the previous reduced-cost system. Schools will also adopt food-waste reduction practices and discontinue any lunchroom policies that might single out students based on meal eligibility. The effort was championed by The Policy Project, a nonprofit helping raise funds to ensure long-term success.
While some provisions for summer food assistance were removed from the final version, advocates remain committed to supporting families year-round.