Public school students across Virginia would soon be getting free breakfasts under a newly proposed bill by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) and Sen. Danica Roem (D-30).
Bennett-Parker and Roem unsuccessfully tried to get free breakfast and lunch approved for students in the General Assembly’s 2024 session. With a $172 million pricetag, Bennett-Parker’s bill never made it out of the House Appropriations Committee.
The new bill only covers breakfast and costs $43 million, Bennett-Parker said.
“This year we’re trying to lower that price tag by just starting with breakfast as an incremental step,” Bennett-Parker said. “Obviously, breakfast being the most important meal of the day, and not only reduces hunger, but it improves focus and classroom behavior and increases attendance and addresses some truancy issues, eliminates socio economic stigma, and everyone has access to that meal.”
In Alexandria, there are seven public schools that currently do not offer free meals and aren’t on the federal Community Eligibility Provision list:
- George Washington Middle School
- Charles Barrett Elementary School
- Douglas MacArthur Elementary School
- George Mason Elementary School
- Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy
- Mount Vernon Community School
- Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School (Grades K-5)
