Policy Introduction
The announced that starting in the 2027-2028 school year, students eligible for free or reduced-price school meals cannot be charged processing fees, aiming to reduce financial burdens on low-income families.
This policy change follows a report highlighting how processing fees disproportionately affect families with lower incomes, costing them up to 60 cents per dollar in fees for electronic school lunch payments.
Impact and Future Steps
Agriculture Secretary emphasized the USDA's commitment to providing every child with access to healthy school meals at no cost, viewing the elimination of processing fees as a significant step towards this goal.
Despite the policy shift, challenges remain for families, such as the inconvenience of avoiding fees by paying with cash or check, underscoring the need for further actions to ensure equitable access to school meals.