Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026

The Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026 mandates that all children enrolled in participating schools receive free breakfast and free lunch, eliminating previous income-based eligibility requirements. The bill establishes specific funding rates for these meals, adjusts them annually for inflation, and requires states to disburse funds directly to selected schools. Additionally, the legislation prohibits schools from collecting unpaid meal debts from parents and forbids practices like segregating students or publicly identifying those who cannot pay. The act also expands summer food programs to include all children, updates poverty measurement standards for federal data, and extends free lunch eligibility to incarcerated juveniles in eligible detention centers.