Since the COVID-19 pandemic, breakfast and lunches have been free for all students in schools across Nevada. However, in 2023, the governor vetoed the state bill to extend that for another school year. Now, parents must apply again to qualify based on income, as they did four years ago. This change affects all Nevada school districts.
Elizabeth Martinez, director of nutrition services with the Carson City School District, said eating a healthy meal is crucial for kids.
“You can’t focus if you’re hungry, so they’re not learning, and there’s probably more behavior issues, so then they’re disrupting the whole class,” Martinez said. “There’s a lot of studies out there that kids get their healthiest meals at school. We want kids to be set up for success.”
Her biggest concern is parents of eligible students won’t sign up, but Martinez said the application is very private.
“People who may not be in the country legally may not want to sign up because they’re scared of getting deported, which of course, would never happen,” Martinez said. “And a parent might fill it out, but the kid might not turn it in because they don’t want to be seen as low income. Stigma is a really big issue that we’ve run into in the past and I anticipate running into again.”
As the president of the Nevada School Nutrition Association’s board of directors, Martinez has traveled twice to Washington, D.C. to advocate for this issue. She said her goal is for the USDA to increase reimbursement for school meals based on students who qualify for other federal assistance.
