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School officials say federal changes to meal eligibility could shave about $25,000 from Lowell food-service budget
Summary
At the March committee meeting, staff said nationwide shifts in free-meal eligibility could reduce district food-service revenue and estimated a local impact of roughly $25,000; committee members discussed alternative short-term supports including a previously-approved food-truck contract and community partners.
School officials told the Lowell School Committee on March (committee meeting) that possible federal changes to free and reduced-price meal eligibility could reduce funding for local food-service programs but that initial district estimates put the local impact at "about $25,000." The remark came during a budget update prepared by Dr. Pinto and presented to the committee.
A committee member flagged a national figure in the report — "12,000,000 children nationwide losing access to free meals" — and asked whether Lowell would be affected. A district staff member said the local impact would be small relative to the district budget and that the estimate is approximately $25,000: "It's about $25,000 is what we estimate," the staff member said.
Members discussed possible stopgap measures if federal rules change. Mr. Rossi asked whether funds set aside for a contracted food truck (previously referenced at about $156,340) could be used to supplement meals through the fiscal year; staff said all options would be considered but cautioned that similar services might also face cuts. The superintendent noted that community partners such as the Merrimack Valley Food Bank — which serves Lowell families — could be affected by reductions in outside funding.
Committee members cited recent local grant losses as examples of how cuts can ripple through services: the chair said a roughly $400,000 grant for an organization was pulled down to $0 this year and used that as a cautionary example for other community programs.
The committee voted to accept the superintendent's reports (which included the budget update) and directed staff to continue monitoring guidance from state and professional associations. Officials said they are relying on upcoming analysis from professional bodies, including the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials and the Urban Superintendents Network, to refine estimates and plan next steps.
