Bill > SR163

This Resolution urges the Department of Education and the State Public Charter School Commission to make hiring dedicated staff a top priority for managing federal school meal programs, such as the National School Lunch Program, which provides aid for free and reduced-price meals for students. The resolution highlights that these programs are crucial for children's health and well-being, and that current staffing shortages, particularly in rural areas and on neighbor islands, hinder schools from fully utilizing federal benefits and ensuring efficient program administration. The Department of Education is also requested to seek federal funding, including from the United States Department of Agriculture, to support the hiring of these dedicated staff members for each school campus and to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2023.