CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Students with the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System could soon lose access to free meal waivers provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through a program which is set to expire on Thursday, June 30.

The waivers are part of the USDA Child Nutrition Program, which has provided free meals to CMCSS students for the past two years.  CMCSS spokesperson Anthony Johnson told Clarksville Now that the USDA has yet to say if the waivers are on the table the upcoming school year.

“The USDA has not indicated they will be extending the waiver for school districts to continue offering no-cost student meals for the 2022-2023 school year. For the past two school years, CMCSS has been able to provide breakfast and lunch meals at no cost to students each school day because of the USDA’s waivers,” Johnson said.

Johnson said unless CMCSS receives notification otherwise from the USDA, the district will be required to return to its normal meal payment methods in August.

Additionally, Johnson said CMCSS will have to end curbside summer meals in June and return to its normal meal payment methods when schools are back in session in August.

A national conversation

There are efforts being made at the federal level to keep the meal waivers in place. Johnson specifically mentioned efforts by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), chairwoman for the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Stabenow has sponsored legislation called Support Kids Not Red Tape Act, which calls for U.S. Congress to extend the waivers for another two years.

“For families, this means that more children can get free meals over the summer, and often in a more flexible way, such as being able to pick up a week’s worth of meals, or having meals delivered to their home on the school bus,” Stabenow wrote in a March committee report.

Johnson is hopeful regarding Stabenow’s efforts, but said CMCSS families should be prepared to pay for their students’ meals in the fall.

“We do not have any information about when or if that will pass,” Johnson said. “Families will continue to be highly encouraged to preload funds on a student’s online account. More information will be communicated before next school year”

Johnson provided Clarksville Now with projected meal prices which are as follows:

Elementary Student Meal Prices   

Breakfast (Full Pay): $1.00

Breakfast (Reduced): $0.30

Lunch (Full Pay): $2.65

Lunch (Reduced): $0.40

Secondary Student Meal Prices

Breakfast (Full Pay): $1.15

Breakfast (Reduced): $0.30

Lunch (Full Pay): $2.85

Lunch (Reduced): $0.40

Johnson said families who believe their children qualify for free or reduced meals complete the application for the 2022-2023 school year.

Those applications are available beginning Monday, July 18 at www.schoolcafe.com. Paper applications can be picked up at a student’s enrolled school.