Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education School Meals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Education department and analysts flag gaps in universal school meals funding, stress New Mexico‑grown priorities
Summary
The executive and LESC recommended larger recurring funding for universal school meals than LFC; the secretary said participation is rising (2 million more meals last year) and urged additional recurring funding to support New Mexico Grown and rising costs.
Budget presenters told the House Education Committee that universal free school meals and the New Mexico Grown initiative remain budget priorities and that LFC’s recommendation is smaller than the executive’s and LESC’s proposals.
Madam Secretary said the department projects a 5% increase in meal participation and pointed to an observed increase of more than 2,000,000 meals served last school year. The executive recommended roughly $50,700,000 for recurring universal meals funding on one line and an additional $5,000,000 for cost overruns on another line; LESC and the executive aligned closely on recurring totals while LFC’s recurring recommendation was lower (for FY25 the recurring column showed $41,000,000). The department said the variance relates partly to uncertainty about uptake in the new universal program and to a desire to support New Mexico Grown purchases that improve quality.
The presenters recommended placing universal meals in the recurring categorical appropriation rather than funding it as a nonrecurring reimbursement, arguing that meals are tied to statutory requirements and should be budgeted as an ongoing cost. The department also urged ongoing support for New Mexico Grown purchases to improve meal quality and local procurement.
Committee members asked for more precise projections of participation and for clarity on whether cost‑overrun lines would be recurring or nonrecurring. Presenters said they would provide more data at the next meeting.
