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New Jersey Statutes, Title: 18A, EDUCATION

    Chapter 33: District to furnish suitable facilities; adoption of courses of study

      Section: 18A:33-4: School lunch, availability to all children; report to the Governor, Legislature; rules, regulations.

          1. a. (1) Each school district shall make school lunch available to all students enrolled in the district, except at those schools that are exempt from the requirements of this section, as provided by section 2 of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-5), within one year after the effective date of P.L.1974, c.53 (C.18A:33-4 et seq.).

(2) School lunches made available pursuant to this section shall meet minimum nutritional standards, established by the Department of Education.

(3) Free or reduced price lunches, as appropriate, shall be offered, under a school lunch program, to each student enrolled in the district who is determined to be federally eligible for free or reduced price meals. As provided by section 1 of P.L.2019, c.445 (C.18A:33-21.1), any student who is eligible for a reduced price lunch, pursuant to federal income eligibility standards and criteria, shall not be required to pay for such lunch. Free lunches shall also be offered to each student enrolled in the district who is federally ineligible for free or reduced price meals, but who has an annual household income that is not less than 186 percent, and not more than 199 percent, of the federal poverty level, as determined pursuant to section 16 of P.L.2022, c.104 (C.18A:33-21b1).

b. The State shall provide funding to each school district, as may be necessary to reimburse the costs associated with the district's provision of free lunches, pursuant to subsection a. of this section, to students who are federally ineligible for free or reduced price meals.

c. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall annually prepare and submit, to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, a written report that identifies, for each school and school district in the State:

(1) the methods that are being used by each school or school district to facilitate the prompt identification and subsidized meal certification of students who are categorically eligible or income-eligible for free or reduced price lunch under the National School Lunch Program; and

(2) the number and percentage of income-eligible students from low-income families and from middle-income families, respectively, that are receiving free or reduced price lunches under the National School Lunch Program and the provisions of this section.

d. The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to implement the provisions of this section, including, but not limited to, rules and regulations establishing a schedule for, and identifying the manner in which, State-level reimbursements are to be made pursuant to subsection b. of this section.

L.1974, c. 53, s. 1, eff. July 1, 1974; amended 2022, c.104, s.2.

This section added to the Rutgers Database: 2022-09-23 16:19:49.






Older versions of 18a:33-4 (if available):



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