Senate education committee recommends passage of resolutions urging DOE to detail true cost of school meals

The Senate Committee on Education voted to recommend passage of Senate Concurrent Resolution 134 and Senate Resolution 113, which urge the Department of Education to provide a detailed report to the Legislature on the true cost of producing school meals and how those costs are broken down.

The resolutions seek a finer accounting of meal costs — for example separating labor, ingredient, supply, operational and distribution expenses — to increase transparency and help prevent unnecessary price increases for families. Committee members and advocates said a clearer breakdown is needed to evaluate proposals such as expanding free school meals.

Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Neil Chita told the committee that the department “stands on its written testimony,” and that the school food service branch already publishes quarterly and annual fiscal reports…