FL H1501

All K-12 public schools in Florida must participate in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program

Schools must provide lunch to students regardless of ability to pay or existing meal debt, though districts may collect payment for meals

School districts are prohibited from using third-party debt collectors to collect meal debt

Breakfast must be provided at no cost to students unless a parent provides written notification to withhold the meal

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will reimburse districts for breakfasts at a rate equal to the difference between USDA payments and the federal free meal rate, limited to one breakfast per student per day

Effective date: July 1, 2026