North Dakota voters to decide amendment requiring schools to provide free meals

North Dakota voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would require schools to provide free meals to students.

The initiative, sponsored by Together for School Meals, would amend the constitution to require all public schools to provide one free breakfast and one free lunch to students each school day. Under the amendment, schools that provide these meals would be eligible for reimbursement if they first maximize federal reimbursements. If the Legislative Assembly is unable to identify a source of funds for reimbursement, the funds will be appropriated from the state's Legacy Earnings Fund.

The secretary of state’s office reported that Together for School Meals verified 49,338 valid signatures out of the 57,229 submitted in April. The campaign needed 31,164 signatures to qualify for the ballot.

According to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, an estimated 47,000 children in the state receive free or reduced-cost meals, out of approximately 120,000 K-12 students statewide. Currently, students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch programs if their household income is below 225% of the federal poverty guideline, which is estimated at $74,250 for a family of four.




https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/05/19/north-dakota-voters-to-decide-amendment-requiring-schools-to-provide-free-meals/