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Survey: responding North Dakota school districts report $1.43M in meal debt; universal meals estimated at $133M for 2027-29
Summary
Department of Public Instruction reported that 85 of 193 districts responded to a survey showing $1.43 million in meal debt among respondents; implementation of universal school meals is estimated to cost $133 million for the 2027-29 biennium and depends on voter approval of Measure No. 3.
North Dakota's Department of Public Instruction reported March 24 that of the state's 193 school districts, 85 responded to a department survey and reported $1.43 million in school meal debt among respondents.
Lynelle Johnson, Director of Child Nutrition and Food Distribution, told the Legislative Audit and Fiscal Review Committee that 54 responding districts are pursuing collection actions to recover unpaid balances and 4 districts record meal debt information on a student's transcript or permanent record. Johnson said the department is not aware of reports alleging schools are denying meals to students and noted that schools participating in the National School Lunch Program were required to update policies to align with House Bill No. 1494 (2023), which requires schools to provide meals to all students who request one.
Johnson also presented an estimate that implementing a universal school meal program would cost the state $133 million for the 2027-29 biennium, including an estimated reimbursement-rate increase of about 3.6 percent per year; implementation is contingent on voter approval of Measure No. 3, which may appear on the Nov. 3, 2026, general-election ballot. The department said, pursuant to Section 22 of House Bill No. 1013 (2025), free and reduced-price meal applications must be electronically available in fall 2026.
A member of the public later raised school-meal concerns during comments to the committee.
