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OSDE requires school districts to fund student meals through state and federal dollars

OKLAHOMA, JUL 7 – The Oklahoma State Department of Education aims to eliminate meal charges by requiring districts to fund student meals fully, relieving families of a $42 million expense last year.

  • On July 7, 2025, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced that beginning with the 2025-26 school year, all school districts will be required to cover the entire cost of student meals by reallocating current state and federal operational funds.
  • The mandate responds to concerns over gross mismanagement, including bureaucrats prioritizing their paychecks over students and families paying multiple times for school lunches.
  • Walters emphasized cutting administrative bloat, redirecting taxpayer money to students, and warned bureaucrats neglecting students will be removed, calling the issue non-negotiable.
  • In the previous year, families in Oklahoma were burdened with $42 million in school meal costs while school administrators received a 14% pay raise; Superintendent Walters criticized the situation, stating that taxpayers are being unfairly taxed multiple times to subsidize lunches as administrative salaries increase.
  • The new guidelines aim to ensure funds serve students directly, prevent families from paying for mismanaged meals, and reflect the state's decision to opt out of the federal summer feeding program Sun Bucks.
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NewsChannel 8 | KTUL broke the news in Tulsa, United States on Monday, July 7, 2025.
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