Title
Authorizing the Committees on Children and Youth and Education to hold a joint hearing examining the School District of Philadelphia’s school meal policies and practices, including meal quality and nutrition, food preparation and procurement, kitchen infrastructure, student participation, and the school dining experience.
Body
WHEREAS, Every Philadelphia public school student deserves access to healthy, nutritious, and high-quality meals that support their growth, well-being, and ability to learn; and
WHEREAS, School meals are an essential resource for students and families, helping to address food insecurity while providing children with nourishment during the school day; and
WHEREAS, The School District of Philadelphia offers breakfast and lunch at no cost to students attending District schools, creating two daily opportunities to support student health and a responsibility to ensure that both meals meet students’ nutritional needs and reasonable expectations for quality; and
WHEREAS, The District’s analysis of its 2023–24 Philly School Experience Survey found that 24 percent of responding households experienced food insecurity, while 19 percent of responding students reported going hungry at least sometimes during the previous 30 days because there was not enough food at home; and
WHEREAS, In the same survey, 36 percent of responding principals identified food insecurity as a moderate or great challenge to student learning, underscoring the importance of reliable access to nourishing school meals; and
WHEREAS, The principle that “food is medicine” recognizes the role of nutritious food in supporting health and preventing diet-related disease, making school breakfast and lunch important opportunities to promote lifelong well-being alongside children’s growth, concentration, and readiness to learn; and
WHEREAS, Providing meals at no cost does not, by itself, ensure that students receive food they will eat, and concerns about freshness, taste, varie...
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