Urges the Legislature to Fund School Meals with Additional Tax Revenue

Recently, the non-partisan Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau determined that state FY2025-2026 tax revenue totaled $23.1322 billion, which is $450.8 million higher than the amount estimated earlier this year. As such, the School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin (SNA-WI) calls on the Legislature to come back into session to fully fund Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ FY2025-2027 “Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids” budget proposal.

Unfortunately, Wisconsin faces challenges when it comes to hunger among K-12 students. According to Feeding America, approximately one-third of schoolchildren in our state live in food-insecure families that do not meet the income thresholds to participate in the existing school meal programs that provide meals at a reduced price or without charge.

This proposal would ensure that along with existing federal funds, Wisconsin schools would receive enough meal funding to reimburse schools at the “free meal” reimbursement rate for each student meal served.  This categorical designation is based on federal school lunch and breakfast programs and currently provides meals to students at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. Ultimately, this initiative would require school meals – breakfast and lunch – to be provided to Wisconsin K-12 students without charge.

“During the FY2025-2027 budget process, we supported Governor Evers’ budget request of $147.7 million in FY2026-2027 for the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids initiative. With fiscal year 2025-2026 tax revenues being $450.8 million higher than anticipated, this allows more than enough revenue to fully fund this initiative in FY2026-2027. If not now, when can we as a state move forward on this critically important initiative? Our organization calls on the Legislature to reconvene and fully fund this proposal,” said Caitlin Harrison, SNA-WI president. 

“School food service programs are struggling to balance their budgets with inflation at its highest rate in over 20 years. Food prices have increased 29 percent between January 2020 and July 2026.  According to data, students who eat school breakfast attend 1.5 more days of school, perform 17.5% better on math tests, and are 20% more likely to graduate. Investing in student meals pays dividends,” continued Harrison.

The School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin represents over 900 school nutrition professionals statewide who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to Wisconsin students. As a non-profit professional organization, our members are committed to developing the full potential of all children through quality nutrition.