Congressional Democrats once again are turning up the heat on efforts to expand school meal access even as districts prepare for a new year without universal free school meals.

Last week, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., introduced the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, an effort to reauthorize U.S. Department of Agriculture child nutrition programs. The bill would expand access to free school meals, provide more money in meal reimbursements to schools, and tackle food insecurity in the summer.

“Unfortunately, Congress has not reauthorized federal child nutrition programs in seven years, and as communities see higher rates of food insecurity and families face higher costs, Congress must deliver the evidence-based, comprehensive legislation that children and families need,” Scott said during a U.S. House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee markup on the bill Wednesday.

The bill is the latest legislative effort to address expiring USDA nutrition waivers that allowed all students to eat for free regardless of income. Here’s what educators need to know about the bill and other efforts to combat hunger as schools approach the 2022-23 year.

Expanding affordable meals to more students—and in summer

If passed, the bill would give more schools the opportunity to offer free meals through the Community Eligibility Provision of federal law, a USDA program that allows entire schools or clusters of schools to offer free meals if 40 percent or more...

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