State Superintendent Proposes Nearly $300 Million Investment in Free School Meals

KENOSHA, Wis. (WSAW) – State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly suggested Expanding access to school nutrition by providing all Wisconsin students with access to nutritious breakfast and lunch at no cost to families.

While at the Kenosha Unified School District on Friday, Dr. Underly called for universal free meals during a press conference as part of her 2025-2027 biennial budget request. Dr. Underly’s nearly $294 million universal free lunch proposal expands access to nutritious school meals for all Wisconsin students as more students continue to struggle with food insecurity.

One in four Wisconsin high school students reported hunger due to lack of food in their home, based on data 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data.

“Access to food is one of the most basic human needs, yet many Wisconsin children tell us they don’t know when—or if—they will next eat,” Dr. Underly said. “When we make sure all our children are properly nourished, we are creating the leaders of tomorrow. My budget proposal will ensure that every child, no matter their background, has free access to the nutrition they need to succeed.”

Under this proposal, the Department of Public Instruction would create a new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program that would reimburse students and families for meals received while in school, both breakfast and lunch. In addition to the universal free meals proposal, Dr. Underly’s biennial budget request for 2025-2027 would:

Fund the school breakfast program at a reimbursement rate of $0.15 per meal and expand participation to include independent charter schools, public boarding schools, and residential child care centers ($6.1 million over two years) .

Strengthen local food supply chains by creating a new program to encourage school districts to buy food directly from local farmers and producers and to include fresh, high-quality, locally grown food in school lunch and snack programs ($10 million over two years).

Fully fund the School Milk Program so more Wisconsin students have access to milk while in school ($458,900 over two years).

Create a new grant program that will allow schools to purchase milk coolers or equipment to convert to milk dispensers ($150,000 over a two-year period).

These nutrition provisions represent an additional $311 million in investment in child nutrition. DPI’s budget request, which will be released in full in November, will propose significant additional investments in K-12 public education. Earlier this week Dr. Underly offered more than $304 million to support the mental health of Wisconsin youth, more information will be released in the coming weeks.

For more information on school meals, see visit the DPI website.