by Alison Killeen

“Actually, I’m glad that I can eat lunch at school for free. But I feel bad for my friends that don’t qualify for it, because their families can’t afford it either.” 

These words, spoken by an Oregon third grader in 2018, movingly describe why lawmakers prioritized expanding income eligibility for free school meals in the Student Success Act.

But the current draft rule puts the burden on schools to “opt in” to implementing expanded income eligibility for free schools meals, rather than this being the default.

The rule as written leaves room for children to go hungry in school. This is unacceptable!

We need your help to hold rulemakers accountable to the original intent of the law! Add your organization’s name to the sign-on letter at the link below to support hunger-free schools in Oregon.

Sign on to protect Hunger-Free Schools in Oregon

Want to submit your own public comment? Here’s how:

1. The Oregon Department of Education will present the first reading of the draft rules to the State Board of Education on February 20, 2020 at the Public Service Building in Salem. Oral public comment will be taken at this meeting. Call-in option available.
2. You can also provide written comments on the draft rules to Emily Nazarov at [email protected]. The public comment period is currently open and will close on March 19th at 9:00 a.m.

Resources

• Talking points to craft your organization’s written comments
• Hunger-Free Oregon’s written comments (submitted Feb 20, 2020)
• Letter of Support for expanded income eligibility guidelines in school meals
• Fact Sheet: Student Success Act school meal policies explained

List of Supporters:

(updated February 25, 2020)
Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon
Senator Arnie Roblan (SD5)
Senator Kathleen Taylor (SD21)
Representative Margaret Doherty (HD35)
Representative Courtney Neron (HD26)
Boys and Girls Club of Portland
Camp Fire Central Oregon
Central Point School District #6 Nutrition Services
Children’s Institute
Columbia Gorge Food Bank
Confederation of Oregon School Administrators (COSA)
Corvallis Environmental Center
Edible Habitats Urban Foodscaping
Familias en Acción
Food for Lane County
FoodCorps
Food Roots
Grants Pass School District
Grow Portland
Growing Gardens
Hermiston School District
High Desert Food & Farm Alliance
Home Forward
Impact NW
Innovative Housing, Inc.
Learning Gardens Laboratory
Medford School District/Sodexo
Multnomah County
Oregon Education Association
Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network
Oregon Food Bank
Oregon School Board Association
Oregon School Employees Association (OSEA)
Our Children Oregon / Children First for Oregon
Portland Public Schools
Reynolds School District
Rogue Valley Farm to School
St. Helens School District