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Advocates flood committee with pleas to keep universal school meals, oppose means-testing
Summary
Dozens of parents, students, educators and nonprofits urged the select committee to retain universal school meals in the FEPP implementation plan and to reject amendments that would introduce means-testing or delay implementation.
During a 60-minute hybrid public comment period, 21 speakers — including United Way of King County, FEAST, Voices of Tomorrow, Southeast Seattle Education Coalition, Seattle Student Union and multiple educators and students — urged the committee to maintain universal school meals on the originally proposed timeline.
"I do ultimately want to express strong support for moving forward with the proposed implementation of universal meals on the original timeline beginning in the 2026–27 school year," said Madeline Vistika of United Way of King County. Several speakers noted federal income thresholds that leave many Seattle families ineligible for free meals; Vistika observed that "a family of 4 must earn less than $60,000 a year to qualify" for federal free-meal eligibility.
Speakers raised common concerns: means-testing creates administrative barriers and stigma; voucher programs or targeted approaches risk excluding families who do not qualify; and delays damage trust after a public commitment. "We need free school meals for all students this year, all year long," testified Remen Basha (FEAST).
Organizational speakers including Jacob Foleca and Nej Marigal (Voices of Tomorrow) also supported amendments to strengthen family-childcare representation and data reporting but generally opposed delaying universal meals.
The comment period concluded before committee work on the substitute and amendments; council members and staff cited the public testimony during amendment briefings.
