Standing on Principle: Why “Universal” School Meals Isn’t the Answer for North Dakota Schools
Steve Hallstrom
President/Publisher
-McKenzie County Farmer
None of us wants to see a child go hungry. In a state as prosperous as North Dakota, the image of a student sitting through a math lesson with a growling stomach because their parents are struggling is a scenario we all agree must be avoided. But in the rush to solve a problem that - by the numbers - we have already largely addressed, our state finances are facing a costly and unnecessary policy shift.
This issue was front and center in the recent special legislative session, while a petition drive is also underway to get enough signatures so that the question of free lunch and breakfast for all can appear on the November ballot.
In said special session, a bill that would pay for meals for all kids, regardless of family income, was narrowly defeated. And so now, those who backed the measure say it’s just a matter of time until North Dakota voters enshrine this in the state constitution for good.
I understand their strategy. But…
The reality is that we have already built a robust safety net for this program. Currently, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction utilizes federal and state funds to ensure that every child from a family at or below 225% of the federal poverty level receives breakfast and lunch at no cost. For a family of four, that translates to an annual income of roughly $70,000.
Think about that: if you are a family of four in Watford City or Alexander making $65,000, your children are already entitled to free school meals. In fact, during the most recent school year, approximately 32% of North Dakota’s 120,000 public school students - nearly 40,000 kids - qualified for free or reduced-price meals.
However, there is a catch. Statistics from the Department of Public Instruction suggest that a significant number of children who are eligible for these benefits are not utilizing them. Whether it’s due to the paperwork burden on parents or a perceived “stigma” in the lunchroom, the gap exists. But the solution to a participation gap isn’t to open the floodgates for everyone; it’s to better reach the people the program was designed for.
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