Sponsors
The bill modestly increases reimbursements to incentivize breakfast-after-the-bell—boosting access and reducing student food insecurity—while raising federal costs and adding administrative requirements that may not reach all needy schools.
Students, especially low-income students, will have greater access to school breakfast because participating schools get an extra $0.10 per reimbursable breakfast served after the bell, increasing participation, reducing food insecurity, and improving concentration.
Schools that implement breakfast-after-the-bell will receive the extra reimbursement passed through by State agencies, providing additional resources to support school meal programs.
Taxpayers will fund the additional reimbursements, increasing federal spending by $0.10 for each qualifying breakfast served.
Students at schools that do not meet the eligibility criteria (LEA election of special assistance or a prior-year identified-student share of at least 40%) may not receive the extra payment, leaving some needy schools and students without the incentive.
State and local agencies and schools will incur additional administrative burden to determine qualifying service models and track/pass through reimbursements, which could divert staff time from other education tasks.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced March 19, 2026 by Ami Bera · Last progress March 19, 2026
Provides an extra 10-cent federal payment for each reimbursable school breakfast served after the school day begins when the meal is part of an approved "breakfast after the bell" program and the school meets eligibility conditions. States must pass these extra funds through to the school that served the meal, and the law defines eligible service models (for example, breakfast in the classroom or kiosks) as those the State educational agency finds increase participation.