ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Starting in September, all 2.7 million public and charter school students in New York State are supposed to start receiving free breakfast and lunch at school, regardless of family income. Funded with $340 million in the FY2026 state budget, New York's statewide free school meals program is only the ninth in the country.

The budget language specifically mandates that all schools already participating in the federal National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program must offer meals to all students free of charge. For schools not already enrolled, the law makes them apply to join the federal programs to get repaid by the state.

Only students from low-income families qualified for free or reduced-price meals under those two federal programs. Eligibility is

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