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LFC: New Mexico’s Universal School Meals Increased Participation but Quality Monitoring Lags
Summary
The LFC evaluation found participation in New Mexico’s Healthy Universal School Meals program rose after the 2023 law but that many school food authorities are not yet meeting new quality requirements (scratch cooking, local sourcing, food‑waste tracking); LFC recommended stronger monitoring, student satisfaction surveys, and vendor contract expectations.
A Legislative Finance Committee evaluation of New Mexico’s Healthy Universal School Meals program praised increased participation but warned the state’s new, stricter meal‑quality standards are not yet fully measurable or consistently met.
"The law now mandates free high quality meals for all public school students regardless of income," LFC evaluator Dr. Ryan Tolman said, noting the 2023 statute added ambitious goals for scratch cooking, local sourcing and food‑waste reduction. LFC found participation gains since implementation but said monitoring of quality provisions has only begun and data systems are incomplete.
LFC detailed implementation challenges: many school food authorities currently fall short of PED’s rule requiring at least 50% of weekly meal components (excluding milk) be prepared from scratch; kitchen infrastructure upgrades lag despite more than $24 million allocated for equipment; reliance on a small number of food service management companies—especially among charter schools—raises compliance and cost concerns; and local purchasing through the NM Grown program accounted for about 2% of food budgets last year.
"PED is requiring schools to track food waste starting this year," LFC staff said, but its informal survey showed only about 25% of schools reported any waste tracking; student and family feedback mechanisms were inconsistent.
Public Education Department response: Gregory Frost and Laura Henry Hand said PED accepts many LFC recommendations, is expanding culinary trainings and technical assistance, has set aside a $2 million reimbursement pool for NM Grown purchases this year, and will update vendor contracting forms to include quality expectations. The department noted pilot observations (540 classrooms in fall, 583 in spring) and plans an October chef symposium and an RFP to provide additional training statewide.
Committee concerns and enforcement: Senators and representatives asked how noncompliance will be enforced. PED said certification is an incentive model in the first year: schools that do not yet meet certification will receive lesser reimbursement in the following school year while still receiving additional funds aimed at improving meal quality.
LFC recommended PED launch a standardized student satisfaction survey, expand technical assistance for kitchen staff (especially in rural and charter settings), require contract expectations for food service management companies, and work with DFA and LFC to build a statewide performance monitoring system that aligns with the Accountability and Government Act.
Next steps: PED said it will begin monitoring performance in the coming school year and distribute the student/family survey statewide; LFC urged timely disbursement and use of kitchen infrastructure funds.
