Free School Meals are Now Accessible for More Students Across Hawai‘i
Starting the 2025-26 school year, the Hawai‘i Department of Education is making changes that will help more kids eat for free.
2025-26 School Year
No student can be denied a meal because they are unable to pay
Students eligible for reduced price meals will receive meals for free
2026-27 School Year
Students under 300% of the Federal Poverty Level will be eligible for free meals. (See income thresholds here)
For the upcoming 2026 legislative session, HHAN plans to build off of the momentum from last year, focusing on these key bills ↓
| Priority | Bill | Tags | Summary | Status | Stance |
|---|
Sample Testimony & Talking Points
UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS BY 2030
Eliminating social stigma:
- UFSM creates a more inclusive and supportive school environment.
- By making school meals universally free, all students can access nutritious meals without fear of judgment or embarrassment.
Improving academic performance:
- Studies of UFSM in other states have shown large test score improvements and improved academic performance.
- Research consistently shows that proper nutrition is linked to improved healthy development and academic performance.
- Universal free school meals would ensure that every student in Hawai‘i has access to the nutrients necessary for optimal learning, helping to close achievement gaps.
Improving nutrition & reduce food insecurity:
- For many students, school breakfast and lunch are the only full, balanced meals they receive a day.
- Recent surveys show that 34 percent of children experienced food insecurity in Hawai’i, up from 29% in 2023.
Supporting locally grown food:
- UFSM can help boost participation in meal programs like Farm-to-School which reduces the state's reliance on imported food, fostering a more resilient and self-sufficient community.
- Supporting local farmers and food producers through meal programs not only ensures a steady market for their products but also strengthens Hawai‘i’s economy.
FREE SCHOOL MEALS EXPANSION TO CHARTER SCHOOLS
Ensuring equity & fairness:
- Ensures all Hawaii students, regardless of school type (public or charter), have equal access to nutritious school meals.
- Eliminates an unfair gap: charter school families currently excluded from the same free meal eligibility that public school families receive under 300% FPL, despite having a higher percentage of students considered economically disadvantaged (47%)
Supporting charter schools:
- Charter schools often operate on tight budgets with fewer economies of scale than larger public school districts. This expansion helps:
- Lower barriers to participation
- Provide necessary funding for charters
Improving student education & health:
- Access to free meals is linked to improved concentration, attendance, behavior, and academic performance—benefits that should extend to charter school students.
- Reduces food insecurity, which is a known barrier to learning and student well-being.
Providing economic relief for families
- Expanding eligibility to 300% FPL provides meaningful financial relief for working families who may not qualify currently but still struggle to afford food.
- A family of four that makes $47,000 per year still doesn’t qualify for free lunch at some public charter schools
- Hawaiʻi’s costs of living require that a family of 4 makes over $107,000 to simply survive.
- Frees up limited household dollars for housing, transportation, and healthcare.
Have you or someone you know been denied a meal?
Let us know using this form, or contact @freeschoolmeals on instagram
In the News
Lawmakers have pushed the education department for more details on the costs of running its school meal program.