With New Law Set in Place, Less Food is Wasted in Texas Schools

In late 2017, the Texas Student Fairness in Feeding Act was instated by lawmakers. The Texas Education Agency describes the law as allowing “school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to permit campuses to donate excess food to nonprofits to redistribute to children attending the campus.”

Now that the law has been in place for a short while, people have noticed some positive differences. According to KSAT, school officials were worried about the confusing overlapping of state and federal laws that made them feel as though giving away any extra food (that would otherwise be thrown away) would actually get them in trouble. Thankfully, the leftover food from school meals can now be distributed, so children don’t have to go hungry.

North East ISD schools are introducing new Share Table.
Over the summer the State Legislator passed Senate Bill 725. The bill allows school district nutrition programs to donate food served to students, but not eaten, to a non-profit. #NEISD #SchoolLunch pic.twitter.com/nb5cumUxMA

— North East ISD (@NEISD) December 6, 2017

Since districts now have the freedom to distribute their extra food as they see fit, Northside ISD and San Antonio ISD are experimenting with different options. Both are trying out a “Share Cart” where students can place items they didn’t eat/drink during mealtime, and others can come grab what they’d like to eat during their time in the cafeteria. SAISD is also implementing a food pantry for refrigerated items. “SAISD has a designated liaison on each campus with this program, who oversees the food exchange and forms a relationship with cafeteria staff. The pilot programs at both of thee districts have already been labeled a success,” KSAT writes.