Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to require mandatory certification for certain students regarding free or reduced-price meals.
Mandates local educational agencies to directly certify students for free meals if they belong to households with unpaid meal fees.
Allows retroactive reimbursement for meal claims based on eligibility approval from the start of the school year.
Prohibits overt identification or segregation of students with unpaid meal fees to reduce stigma.
Restricts communication about unpaid meal fees to households, preventing direct communication with students.
Ensures that educational opportunities and participation in activities are not withheld from students due to unpaid meal fees.
Allows for sealed letters regarding unpaid fees to be delivered by students to parents or guardians without stigmatizing the student.
Prohibits the disposal or taking away of food already served to students due to their unpaid meal fees.
Defines “covered child” as a student enrolled in a participating school who belongs to a household with unpaid fees or is eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
