A coalition that includes CVS Pharmacy, Kroger and the Ohio Education Association is again pushing Ohio lawmakers to put funds providing free school meals for all students in the state budget, something not included in Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed version.
Universal breakfast and lunch statewide would cost $300 million per year, according to Hunger Free Ohio. Education is poised to get $23.4 billion under DeWine’s biennial budget—putting that price tag at about 2.5% of state education funds if it were to be fit in. Breakfast alone rings in at $50 million per year.
An earlier analysis by the Legislative Service Commission of the education portion of the budget shows even with the present funding formula included, there are actually cuts to traditional K-12 public schools, but almost $500 million more for vouchers and charter schools.
Dozens of high school students with red “Hungry Kids Can’t Learn” shirts descended on the Ohio Statehouse to make the case for those free meals Tuesday. Some testified before the House Education committee, which fielded hours worth of testimony on the broader budget.
Drew Plantz, a senior at Chesapeake High School, has stayed busy on its football, basketball, and track teams, but Plantz also volunteers at the food shelter during his free time. He said he’s watched his fellow students navigate food insecurity in Chesapeake, a rural southeast Ohio village on the West Virginia border.
“Running on the field or on the court, no matter where it is, if you don't have the energy to do it, it takes a toll on your body,” Plantz said in an interview. “It’s better to see your friends and your teammates being able to thrive, and know that their needs are met.”
Chesapeake High School covers breakfast and lunch costs for all students already, but some of that comes from its general budget. The state reimburses about 60%, while the school contributes about 40%, said Doug Hale, superintendent of Chesapeake Union Exempted Village Schools.
“It’s a huge savings, but it’s not quite where we want it to be,” Hale said in an interview.
With meals covered, Hale said roughly $80,000 could be redirected to anything from window and roof fixes to teacher salaries.
DeWine’s proposed budget doesn’t include any additional state dollars for meals, which doesn’t go far enough to feed students, said Hunger Free Schools Ohio Co-Chair Cyndy Rees.
Rees said she believes their proposal is popular among Ohioans. According to a 2024 study done by Republican researcher the Tarrance Group, 67% of Ohioans backed universal meals. In southern Ohio, that rose to 73% backing.
