Free, Healthy Meals for ALL Oklahoma Students
No child should be denied access to free, healthy meals in Oklahoma’s public schools. And no parent should be expected to pay what is essentially a third tax in the form of school meals. Therefore, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, Superintendent Walters will be implementing free, healthy meals for ALL Oklahoma Students. This budgeting accountability system will verify that districts are prioritizing student nutrition over high administrative and other costs, thereby ensuring that ALL Oklahoma students have access to free, healthy meals throughout the school day.
Part of a full education includes healthy, no-cost meals for every child. OSDE is implementing these three provisions by examining local districts’ budgets and making recommendations that will eliminate costs of school meals that are passed to parents.
- Title 70 O.S. § 18-101(8) requires the State and the local school districts to work together to provide a financial plan that will assure full educational opportunities for every child in Oklahoma.
- Title 70 O.S. § 5-128 requires that districts submit statistical and financial reports no later than June 30 each year to the State Board of Education.
- Title 70 O.S. § 5-128.1 requires that districts submit an itemized expenditure budget no later than October 1 each year.
This initiative will be implemented in the following steps:
1. School districts will immediately be required to submit their proposed budgets pursuant to Title 70 O.S. §§ 5-128 and 5-128.1.
2. School districts will include in their proposed budgets estimated costs to provide no-cost meals to all students.
3. OSDE will review each budget. If a school district’s budget cannot cover the costs of meals for all students, the OSDE will suggest cost-cutting measures and request that the budget be re-submitted.
4. If necessary, the OSDE and the State Board of Education will rely on the authority granted by Title 70 O.S. § 3-104(A)(13), including withholding state funds and/or accreditation until the school district becomes compliant, or revoking the certificates of persons failing to or refusing to make the required budgets.
5. To ensure that Oklahoma’s public school students are receiving the most nutritious meals, OSDE will implement a Rule which requires that all meals/snacks served in Oklahoma’s schools are free of seed oils, artificial food dyes, ultra-processed foods, pesticide laden foods, and junk food vending machines to name a few.
