Broward schools to return to meal‑benefit applications after two-year universal free pilot; staff outline 30‑day transition and steps to limit student debt

The Broward County School Board on June 10 heard a detailed presentation from Food and Nutrition Services outlining the district’s plan to transition back from a universal free-lunch pilot to the National School Lunch Program meal-benefit application system.

Mary Mulder, executive director of food nutrition services, said the district moved to universal free lunches during pandemic-era federal waivers and later a local pilot intended to use excess food-service fund balances to reduce family costs. Mulder said the pilot decreased the district fund balance to a level USDA rules require the district to reduce; returning to meal-benefit applications was the next step. She told the board staff will open a 30-school‑day grace period at the start of the year during which all students will eat at no charge while applications are collected and processed.

Key elements staff presented - Direct certification: Mulder said roughly 81,000 students already qualify for free meals through direct feeds (SNAP, TANF, Head Start, Foster, Migrant) and an additional roughly 9,000 are eligible for reduced-price meals. District systems will continue to capture those direct-certification matches automatically. - Transition period and staffing: Food and Nutrition Services set aside funds to cover the first 30 school days so every student can receive meals while families receive outreach. The department plans to hire temporary clerks to process meal-benefit applications and to work with principals to identify and assist students with meal debt. - Outreach and communications: Staff described a multi-channel communications campaign (principal messages, school websites, pop-up events, social media, pop‑up assistance at open houses) and principal-led messages to families. Staff also said they will provide multi-language assistance and mobile application support for families who need in-person help. - Partnerships and debt management: Mulder said local partnerships will be a key tool; the Broward Education Foundation and local cities are being approached for gap funding to cover unpaid meal charges. Board Member Jared Waldman announced that the City of Pembroke Park has agreed to cover the cost of lunches at two schools in his district for the coming year. - Financials: Mark Mills, Food Nutrition Services finance manager, told the board the district expects lost revenue if claims revert to paid/reduced/ free categories and projected a notional $9,000,000 difference tied to paid/reduced segregation in the…