Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs has sent United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue a letter, with 24 Republican members, calling for the review and swift implementation of flexibilities within the Child Nutrition Program.
“As we head into the 2020-2021 school year, we need to be sure schools can accommodate the needs of children, many who may be observing hybrid or fully online classes this fall,” Jacobs said.
“As someone who has consistently advocated for quality education, I know that during this time when parents are stressed about children completing classwork, they shouldn’t have the extra burden of worrying about school meal services for their child.”
Originally, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the USDA utilized flexibilities within the Child Nutrition Program to allow schools to provide meals to children as they were learning from home. As it stands now, these flexibilities, though within the legal bounds of the program, have not been authorized for the 2020-2021 school year.
“With the variety of plans different districts are implementing, it is critical that schools have the appropriate tools and flexibility to ensure they can carry out quality meal service and delivery for all students who need it,” Jacobs said.
