Gov. Mills proposes to fully fund free school meals for all Maine students
WESTBROOK (WGME) -- Governor Janet Mills has unveiled her plan for how she thinks a $822 million budget surplus should be spent.
It includes a $20 million fund for free community college and funding for free school meals for all students.
If approved, $27 million will go towards funding free breakfasts and lunches for students at public schools like in Westbrook.
That's on top of $10 million already set aside by state lawmakers.
“We’re really leading the nation in addressing childhood food insecurity and making sure that kids have what they need so that they can grow and thrive," Anna Korsen of Full Plates, Full Potential said.
In school districts where there is a lot of poverty, like Lewiston, students are offered free meals already.
Superintendent Jake Langlais says the money from the state would make sure the program is paid for.
"It's been a real challenge these past few years because we don't gather the data like we used to as far as free and reduced lunch programs go,” Langlais said. “So it's hard to get people's home income data the way that schools once did."
Korsen says there is one more step she'd like to see the governor take.
“Now that we have made sure that all kids get a healthy school meal at no cost, the next step is to make sure all kids have enough time to eat their school meal,” Korsen said.
Korsen says the program is working with the state to lengthen lunch times from 20 minutes to 30.
Time is not something on Langlais' mind, but rather a question he has for the governor: is this level of support here to stay?
"I think these are all very good things, I just want to make sure that we can sustain them and that we are building smart," Langlais said.
Mills’ budget still needs the stamp of approval.
If it’s passed, it will go into effect on July 1.