GF schools watching child nutrition bills

The Grand Forks School District’s Child Nutrition program is keeping an eye on a couple of bills this legislative session that have generated a lot of discussion.

One would increase the income limits for students to qualify for free lunch. The other would prevent “lunch shaming” of students who have an unpaid balance.

HB 1494 would prohibit schools from serving alternative meals or deny meals to students with insufficient funds…identify a student with a sticker or stamp…force a student to work off debt…or limit after school activities because of an unpaid lunch balance.

Through January a total of 7,611 Grand Forks students have participated in the school meal program: 29% through breakfast and 67.6% via lunch.

Child Nutrition officials say the Grand Forks Public School District does not participate in any of the bullet points contained in the bill. The district currently has a negative meal account balance of $17,256 dollars.