THE SENATE S.R. NO. 113 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 STATE OF HAWAII SENATE RESOLUTION urging the department of education to provide a detailed report to the legislature on the true cost of producing SCHOOL meals to ensure transparency and avoid UNNECESSARY price increases.
THE SENATE S.R. NO. 113
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
THE SENATE
S.R. NO.
113
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025
STATE OF HAWAII
SENATE RESOLUTION
urging the department of education to provide a detailed report to the legislature on the true cost of producing SCHOOL meals to ensure transparency and avoid UNNECESSARY price increases.
WHEREAS, the Department of Education is responsible for ensuring that students have access to nutritious and affordable meals; and WHEREAS, the State receives federal reimbursement for school meals through participation in the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, and other school meal reimbursement programs; and WHEREAS, the Department of Education has proposed an increase in school meal prices, which would lead to an increase in the price of student lunch from $2.50 to $4.75 for grades K-8 and from $2.75 to $5.00 for grades 9-12 by the 2028-2029 school year; and WHEREAS, the Department of Education cites the current cost of producing a student lunch at $9.00; and WHEREAS, section 302A-405, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires the Department of Education to ensure that monies received from the sale of school meals are at least one-half the cost of preparing the meals; and WHEREAS, there is currently no reporting system in the Department of Education's budgeting process to provide itemized cost breakdowns for school meals; and WHEREAS, increasing prices for school meals negatively impacts Hawaii's working families and students that receive free or reduced-price meals; and WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the State to address food insecurity and provide access to free and reduced-price school meals; and WHEREAS, it is essential to ensure that proper reporting processes are in place to provide transparency as to the costs of producing school meals; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Education is urged to provide a detailed report to the Legislature on the true cost of producing school meals to ensure transparency and avoid unnecessary price increases; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to include the current cost breakdown to produce school meals for the 2024-2025 school year and projected cost breakdown for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years in the report, including: (1) The costs of ingredients, including an indication of whether each ingredient is locally sourced; (2) Operational costs; (3) Beverage costs; (4) Material and supply costs; and (5) Logistical and distribution costs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to include data on the number of school meals provided to students for each school year in the report, including the number of: (1) Full-price meals; (2) Reduced-price meals; (3) Free meals; (4) Total meals subject to federal reimbursement; (5) Total meals not subject to federal reimbursement; (6) The total number of all student meals; and (7) The total cost of all student meals; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Education. OFFERED BY: _____________________________
WHEREAS, the Department of Education is responsible for ensuring that students have access to nutritious and affordable meals; and
WHEREAS, the State receives federal reimbursement for school meals through participation in the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, and other school meal reimbursement programs; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Education has proposed an increase in school meal prices, which would lead to an increase in the price of student lunch from $2.50 to $4.75 for grades K-8 and from $2.75 to $5.00 for grades 9-12 by the 2028-2029 school year; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Education cites the current cost of producing a student lunch at $9.00; and
WHEREAS, section 302A-405, Hawaii Revised Statutes, requires the Department of Education to ensure that monies received from the sale of school meals are at least one-half the cost of preparing the meals; and
WHEREAS, there is currently no reporting system in the Department of Education's budgeting process to provide itemized cost breakdowns for school meals; and
WHEREAS, increasing prices for school meals negatively impacts Hawaii's working families and students that receive free or reduced-price meals; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the State to address food insecurity and provide access to free and reduced-price school meals; and
WHEREAS, it is essential to ensure that proper reporting processes are in place to provide transparency as to the costs of producing school meals; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, that the Department of Education is urged to provide a detailed report to the Legislature on the true cost of producing school meals to ensure transparency and avoid unnecessary price increases; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to include the current cost breakdown to produce school meals for the 2024-2025 school year and projected cost breakdown for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years in the report, including:
(1) The costs of ingredients, including an indication of whether each ingredient is locally sourced;
(2) Operational costs;
(3) Beverage costs;
(4) Material and supply costs; and
(5) Logistical and distribution costs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to include data on the number of school meals provided to students for each school year in the report, including the number of:
(1) Full-price meals;
(2) Reduced-price meals;
(3) Free meals;
(4) Total meals subject to federal reimbursement;
(5) Total meals not subject to federal reimbursement;
(6) The total number of all student meals; and
(7) The total cost of all student meals; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Superintendent of Education.
OFFERED BY: _____________________________
OFFERED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title: Department of Education; School Meals; Report
Report Title:
Department of Education; School Meals; Report