This bill expands automatic eligibility for free school meals by adding new categories of children who qualify without needing separate applications, including those in kinship care, living with grandparents in low-income housing, and children in Native American housing programs. It creates a system for transferring meal eligibility when children move between school districts, extends eligibility for up to one year longer in certain cases, and establishes automatic certification for children receiving Medicaid benefits. The bill also provides $28 million in grants to states and tribal organizations to improve direct certification rates, and creates a demonstration program to test universal free school meals in up to 5 states. These changes aim to reduce administrative barriers and increase access to school meals for children from low-income families.
The Salad Bars in Schools Expansion Act provides grants to cover the installation costs of salad bars in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, prioritizing schools with high rates of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, those in food deserts, or schools offering nutrition education. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to create a marketing plan and provide training, technical assistance, and resources to help schools implement salad bar programs. The grant program must be evaluated within one year, with a report to Congress detailing participation and outcomes, and will end after five years. The bill uses existing funding without new appropriations, focusing on expanding access to fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals.
This bill codifies existing practices for school meal programs under the National School Lunch Act. It allows states to continue using Medicaid data to automatically certify children for free or reduced-price school meals beyond the 2024 school year, maintaining current eligibility conditions. It also establishes a fixed 1.6 multiplier for determining school eligibility under the community eligibility provision, replacing prior variable calculations. The bill directly affects public schools and low-income children participating in federal meal programs, ensuring continuity of current certification and eligibility rules without introducing new benefits or funding.
The Healthy Lunch for Healthy Kids Act amends the National School Lunch Program to prohibit ultraprocessed foods (using the NOVA classification system) and specific additives in school meals. It directly affects students in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program by banning ingredients like artificial dyes (yellow dye 5/6, blue dyes, red dyes), potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, and brominated vegetable oil. The bill requires schools to remove these items from meals served under the program, focusing on reducing consumption of highly processed ingredients. This change applies to all schools receiving federal funding through the National School Lunch Act. The policy aims to improve meal nutrition standards without specifying implementation details or outcomes.
HR 4120, the *Supporting the Mental Health of Educators and Staff Act of 2025*, provides federal funding to improve mental health support for school staff. It allocates $35 million annually (2026-2028) for grants to schools, colleges, and state agencies to create or expand proven programs - like peer support networks, suicide prevention training, and telehealth access - to address mental health and substance use concerns among educators. The bill also authorizes $10 million for a national awareness campaign to reduce stigma and encourage staff to seek care. It requires annual reporting on program outcomes and a federal review of mental health barriers, but does not directly affect students or parents.
HR 5655, the "No Shame at School Act of 2025," requires schools to eliminate stigma around unpaid meal fees for students. It mandates that school districts automatically certify eligible students for free/reduced meals (replacing "may" with "shall"), prohibits physical segregation or public identification of students with unpaid fees (like special tokens or name lists), and bans withholding grades or activities due to meal debt. The bill also prevents schools from using debt collectors for meal fees and requires adjustments to past meal claims when eligibility is later confirmed. This directly affects schools, local educational agencies, and students from households with outstanding meal fees.
This bill expands eligibility for family and medical leave under the FMLA for paraprofessionals and education support staff (ESP) in schools. It lowers the required work hours for eligibility from 1,250 hours per year to 60% of the expected monthly hours for their specific role (based on the previous school year’s schedule). Employers must document each employee’s expected monthly hours in a file for the Secretary’s review. The law specifically covers school staff providing services like clerical work, food services, custodial duties, or student health support, aligning with existing definitions from education law.
The Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act of 2025 would provide federal grants to support comprehensive sex education and sexual health services for young people aged 10-29. The bill establishes four grant programs: for K-12 schools and youth organizations, for colleges and universities, for educator training, and for sexual health services specifically targeting underserved youth. To qualify for funding, programs must be evidence-informed, medically accurate, inclusive of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed. The bill appropriates $100 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2031, with specific funding allocations for each program type. It prohibits funding for programs that withhold health information, promote stereotypes, or fail to address the needs of specific groups like pregnant youth or survivors of violence.
This resolution designates February 3-7, 2025, as "National School Counseling Week" to recognize the role of school counselors. It encourages nationwide observance through ceremonies and activities highlighting counselors' work in supporting students' academic, social, emotional, and career development. The bill does not create new policies or funding but aims to increase public awareness of counselors' contributions to school communities. It directly affects school counselors, students, and schools by promoting recognition of their vital support services.
HR 305, the One School, One Nurse Act of 2025, authorizes federal grants to help schools recruit, hire, and retain full-time registered nurses. It targets public elementary and secondary schools - especially those in high-need districts with current shortages - to ensure every school has at least one full-time nurse and maintains recommended nurse-to-student ratios. Grant funds can be used for recruitment, converting part-time to full-time roles, increasing salaries for retention, and meeting ratio standards. Schools receiving grants must report annually on nurse staffing, diversity, and progress in addressing student health needs.
