DENVER — In November, Colorado voters passed Proposition FF, which will use taxpayer dollars to provide free breakfast and lunch to public school students beginning in the 2023-24 school year. But the state’s largest school district, Denver Public Schools, is still waiting for more information before deciding whether it will opt into the program.
Childress said one concern is how Proposition FF could affect federal Title I school funding. The federal government uses data from free and reduced lunch applications to determine the level of funding for Title I schools. If all kids receive free meals, it’s not clear if families will still fill out free and reduced lunch forms.
Edwards said districts that haven’t opted into the program yet will likely have until spring to figure out details, and she expects most will opt in.
An unneeded welfare program from middle and upper-class families that will lower the food quality for all students.
Colorado is a major producer of food and a program where each county has a processing program where students learn collecting, preparing, and packaging of food could provide the food for their school.