Seattle Public Schools Students Will Receive Universal Free Meals Starting September

By Claire Kroman

A school lunch tray with a variety of fruits, vegetables, milk and a vegetable wrap. (Photo by US. Department of Agriculture.)

The Seattle City Council approved a plan to fund free universal meals for Seattle Public Schools (SPS) students, starting this 2026-27 school year. 

This comes after an initial delay  due to a proposed amendment to Mayor Katie Wilson’s original plan for universal meals, funded via the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promises (FEPP) levy.

Wilson’s vision for universal free school meals was projected to cost $3.3 million in its first year and $4.7 million in its second year, with continued funding reliant on the passage of the millionaires’ tax. Signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson in March, this tax applies a 9.9 percent levy on household incomes exceeding one million dollars annually in Washington state. 

However, the passing of the tax has proved to be divisive. The conservative political group “Let’s Go Washington,” backed by hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, currently supports Initiative 645; a ballot measure in the upcoming November election that aims to repeal the millionaires’ tax. 

With future funding from the millionaires' tax up in the air, some city council members advocated for a one-year delay in Wilson’s plan to implement universal meals. The amendment to the FEPP Levy Implementation Plan, proposed by Council President Joy Hollingsworth and Councilmember Dionne Foster, would’ve delayed the implementation of universal meals until the 2027-28 school year, instead opting for the rollout of a more targeted food voucher system in the meantime.

According to Councilmembers Hollingsworth and Foster, this amendment would focus on addressing gaps in the current food system for low-income families through weekend and school break vouchers. The amendment would require SPS administrators and family support workers to distribute these proposed vouchers to best serve students with the greatest need. 

While the council previously approved the delay on universal school meals, in a 6-3 vote, on July 22, Councilmembers Rob Saka, Eddie Lin and Alexis Mercedes Rinck voted against the proposed amendment. In an email response to GZR News regarding his vote, Councilmember Saka wrote, “I've been vocal about my support for universal school meals in the past. While I appreciated the intent behind my colleague's amendment, I had concerns about it delaying the implementation of universal school meals for an additional year.”

On his worries about postponing the plan, Saka added, “The longer we delay implementation, the more kids fall behind. Universal meals are universal for a reason. Every student benefits, administrative burdens are reduced, participation increases, and families don't have to navigate eligibility requirements or identify themselves needing assistance.” 

This initial decision was met with outcry from many locals. SPS students and staff voiced their concerns at a Select Committee meeting on July 22 regarding the plan to delay the universal meal program. 

Alex Kramer, a paraprofessional at Salmon Bay K-8 and a former SPS student, said in his statement: “As a para, my job is to help students access learning by providing targeted academic support and teaching emotional regulation skills, but no amount of intervention can overcome the basic fact that hungry students struggle to learn...There is enough money in Seattle for universal meals and food support over breaks. Let’s do both.”

SPS student Alana Purcell, a senior at Roosevelt High School, also weighed in on the delay due to the amendment, in an interview with GZR News.

“At larger public schools, it can be scary to reach out for help, especially if you are in need of food,” said Purcell. “I think the sooner those changes are made for those students to get food easily and conveniently, the better.”

Despite the prior back-and-forth from Seattle City Council, on July 28, the council finally reached a unanimous 9-0 vote, compromising on a proposal to fund Wilson’s universal free school meals plan, alongside “six-years of food support for students in need outside of the classroom,” according to a City Council press release.

“Food really fuels your brain and how you learn,” shared Purcell. “In high school, from my own experience, a year of your grades matters a lot, and I feel like the food can be a difference between a 4.0 or a 3.0.”

Thankfully, for many SPS students like Purcell, the council’s most recent decision means universal free school meals are no longer delayed. Starting this September, all Seattle students will usher in the new school year with free breakfast and lunch, regardless of income.