Nashville School District plans to continue free meals for students in 2022-2023

During the Covid-19 pandemic, school children have been able to eat breakfast & lunch at no cost, due to the federal government subsidizing the meal costs for school districts.  However, now that the pandemic emergency is over, so is the federal subsidy for the meals. 

Nashville School Superintendent Doug Graham has repeatedly said its difficult to end a benefit like that to parents, once its been available.  During  a special meeting of the local school board last week, Superintendent Graham presented a plan that would allow the district to absorb the meal cost and continue offering the free breakfast and lunch meals for students.  After receiving the costs of the meals from the district’s provider, Superintendent Graham says it appears the district would end the upcoming school year with a surplus of just over $35,000 dollars in the food service budget.  All three board members present at the special meeting echoed the superintendent’s desire to continue providing the free breakfast and lunch meals for students.  A motion for the free meals to continue, at the local district’s expense, was approved three to nothing.  The plan must be approved by the state department of education.