US EditionOSDE 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 cost of student meals by utilizing their current state and federal operational funds.
- This directive comes amid criticism over severe financial mismanagement, highlighted by a 14% raise for administrators while families in Oklahoma collectively incurred $42 million in expenses for student meals last year, all occurring as the state chose not to participate in the federal Sun Bucks summer feeding initiative.
- Walters condemned excessive bureaucracy in schools, arguing that too many administrative positions divert funds away from students. He insisted that taxpayer money should be allocated directly to student support and warned that officials who put personal benefits ahead of student needs would be removed.
- He emphasized that Oklahoma residents are unfairly burdened financially to fund student meals while administrative officials benefit excessively, and he pledged to reject any budgets that fail to eliminate unpaid lunch debts.
- These new rules require school districts to eliminate wasteful spending and guarantee that families are no longer charged for poorly managed meal programs, addressing the high rates of child food insecurity in Oklahoma.
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Oklahoma superintendent orders all districts to offer free meals, threatens sanctions
A school nutrition worker places sandwiches in bags in the cafeteria at Mayo Demonstration School in Tulsa on April 8, 2024. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)OKLAHOMA CITY — All public schools in Oklahoma must pay for free cafeteria meals for every student and exclude certain dyes and processed foods, the state’s top education official ordered. State Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a mandate Monday that all districts adjust their …
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MSNOSDE mandates every Oklahoma school district to fully fund student meals
The Oklahoma State Department of Education will mandate that every school district in the state fully fund student meals starting in the 2025-26 school year.
·Oklahoma City, United States
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Leaning Left3Leaning Right1Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
L 33%
C 56%
11%
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