Kudos to schools for more free meals

While it is true that only “20 percent of conventional public schools in the islands” will be participating in the Department of Education’s free school meals program next year, only 89 of them are eligible for this federal program.

Schools with at least 40 percent of their students identified as very low-income are eligible, but those with at least 62.5 percent receive higher reimbursements. After adding 22 schools next year, all conventional public schools above that threshold will be in the program. While Hawaiʻi was far behind the nation a few years ago, we will be reaching or surpassing the national average next year.

Still, Hawaiʻi ranks 47th in the nation for low-income students’ participation in school breakfast. Expanding the free meals program is one important improvement. So while there’s a lot more work to be done, congratulations should be offered when deserved. This is one of those moments.