More students in New Jersey will have access to free school meals. Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday signed legislation expanding eligibility to the state program. It means around 60,000 kids will be added to the pool of families who qualify.
The new law expands the income eligibility for the program from just under $60,000 a year for a family of four to a little more than $67,000 a year. This is also the first time students in private schools will be eligible. The cost to the state to expand the program is roughly $34 million.
“Expanding student eligibility under the Working Class Families Anti-Hunger Act will provide more of New Jersey’s young learners with a free school lunch and breakfast so that they can go to class ready to learn,” Murphy said.
