Bill Overview
Title: Keeping School Meals Flexible Act
Description: This bill extends authority through June 30, 2023, for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to waive certain requirements for the school meal programs to address COVID-19. The bill extends the authority for USDA to issue a single waiver of child nutrition program requirements to all states under the National School Lunch Program for purposes of providing meals and snacks with appropriate safety measures with respect to COVID-19; grant waivers of requirements to allow non-congregate feeding in the Child and Adult Care Food Program for purposes of providing meals and snacks with appropriate safety measures with respect to COVID-19; and grant waivers related to the nutritional content of meals served in child nutrition programs if it determines the waiver is necessary to provide meals and snacks, and there is a food supply chain disruption due to COVID-19.
Sponsors: Rep. Spanberger, Abigail Davis [D-VA-7]
Target Audience
Population: Children and families reliant on school meal programs worldwide
Estimated Size: 22000000
- The bill impacts children and families who rely on school meal programs across educational institutions.
- The National School Lunch Program serves millions of children globally, primarily in the US, hence the direct impact is large.
- Some children rely on these meals as their primary source of nutrition, particularly in low-income families.
- The bill also affects schools and other child care institutions that administer these meal programs as it provides them the flexibility to adapt to current COVID-19 challenges.
Reasoning
- The Keeping School Meals Flexible Act mainly targets children relying on school meal programs, and indirectly their families, by extending meal service flexibilities during COVID-19. The policy is aimed at adjusting to health safety concerns while preventing nutritional deficits among students.
- The primary estimated impact zone is families with children in public schools heavily utilizing the National School Lunch Program, which numbered over 22 million in 2019-2020 in the US.
- This law supports lower-income families who may depend on school meals for essential nutrition, thus improving food security for affected households.
- Given that the allocated budget is $500,000,000, we must assess how this can scale across the intended recipients and for how long the measures can provide substantial impact based on administrative costs and on-the-ground operations.
- We should include voices of both direct beneficiaries - such as students receiving meals - and indirect stakeholders - such as educational staff, meal program administrators, and unaffected families to evaluate both impact variability and general sentiment.
Simulated Interviews
School Cafeteria Manager (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This flexibility has helped us tremendously in managing the increased demand safely.
- Without it, managing kids' safety during meal times would be a nightmare.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Single Parent (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 32 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having flexible meal options keeps my kids safe and fed, especially with my worry about allergies and COVID-19.
- It makes life a bit more manageable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
School District Administrator (Dallas, TX)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Flexibilities allow us to plan better amidst uncertain attendance patterns. It's vital for continuing support to students.
- Managing finances while ensuring safety has become easier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Food Service Worker (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy helps keep my job stable as we can adjust meals based on supply and safety protocols.
- It's crucial for job security in tough times.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 2 |
Elementary School Teacher (New York, NY)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Knowing my students have reliable access to safe and nutritious meals helps them focus on learning.
- The stability it brings to their lives is key, especially during COVID-19.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Policy Analyst (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy-wise, it sets a precedent for adaptable solutions in public services.
- Critically important for maintaining food security among vulnerable populations during crises.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Nutritionist (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having this flexibility is pivotal for adapting nutritional content to suit available resources during disruptions.
- Ensuring balanced meals safely should remain a priority.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Research Student (Boston, MA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The extension helps provide data for evaluating real-time policy impacts on educational settings.
- It's a vital study case for crisis management in education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
College Student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 23 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I remember how crucial school meals were to me growing up, especially during financially tough times for my family.
- Policies like this ensure others receive the same support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Retired Principal (Detroit, MI)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Such policies empower schools to ensure children are not hungry and remain the priority, which was always our ultimate goal.
- Flexibility helps administrators implement needed changes efficiently.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $500000000 (Low: $400000000, High: $600000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The potential for food supply chain disruptions remains high due to ongoing COVID-19 uncertainties, which may necessitate continued flexibility.
- Ensuring children who rely on school meals as a primary nutrition source do not face food insecurity remains a key social outcome.
- The operational adjustments required by schools and care facilities may require rapid implementation and training to be effective.