When free school meals are no longer available to all students, teachers report an increase in student hunger and behavior issues that impact the ability to focus on learning, according to a study published this month by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
The study analyzed teacher interviews conducted after the end of a nationwide, pandemic-era universal free school meal policy in June 2022. The findings come as school nutrition and anti-hunger advocates fear more students will lose access to universal school meal programs in 2026-27 due to Trump administration-led policy changes.
One of those policy changes is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) “public charge” final rule that puts noncitizens’ green card applications at risk if an applicant — including their U.S.-born children — uses federal public benefits, such as Medicaid or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The DHS regulation went into effect September 18, 2026.
In addition, according to a September 21, 2026 report by The School Superintendents Association (AASA), 67% of superintendents say that current funding levels are moderately or significantly hindering school meal programs. Further, two out of 5 leaders said they had to pull funding from elsewhere in their school district budgets to cover the cost of feeding students last year, such as tapping into their rainy day balances or deferring maintenance upgrades. Also, nearly one-third said they had to reduce spending on academic programs, intervention supports, tutoring, or enrichment to make up for insufficient federal reimbursements.