1. There is Such a Thingas Free Lunch… and Breakfast
Removing the Stigma Behind Completing Free Lunch Forms
Lessons Learned

2. At the Hunger Free Kids Conference
Moderator: What could we do to make it easier to feed more kids?
Kevin: Remove the roadblocks for free lunch-pride, paperwork & private data
Lt. Gov. Smith: What can the Governor’s office do to help?
Kevin: Give districts $250 per student, make everyone fill out free lunch form and give them all free lunch
Lt. Gov. Smith: Just looked at me funny and said thank you
MDE: You would also get all of those compensatory dollars

3. It shouldn’t be that hard. So I called Tom Melcher.

4. Compensatory Revenue: The Game Changer
December 15 final FY Compensatory revenue calculator xlsx

5. If You Don’t Like the Rule Change It
..\Free lunch Nov 2016\Free Lunch proposal.docx

6. MDE Uses December 15th Data We had Three Weeks After Board Approval
MDE Uses December 15th Data We had Three Weeks After Board Approval..\Free lunch Nov 2016\A Brave Conversation about Free Lunch.docx

7. And The Results Are In: GOAL: 257 Forms Filled Out 33 Free 21 Reduced
144 Denied: The number I am most proud of
198 Total
Minnesota Nice beat out Minnesota Pride.
We came up short of the 80% number. Once were at break even, I didn’t really care.

8. Compensatory Revenue:
The Game Changer
Tom Melcher’s Spreadsheet with Kevin’s Modifications
December 15 final FY 2017 Compensatory revenue calculator xlsx

9. What do NYC, Boston, D. C. , Chicago, Detroit and Dallas (over 1
What do NYC, Boston, D.C., Chicago, Detroit and Dallas (over 1.7M total students). & Menahga, MN (1,048 students) have in common?

10. No kids pay for meals! They have Universal Free Meals and fill out no forms! We have to fill out forms and our district pays the half.  We are in our third year.

11. Other Take-Aways:
We now have 500 students who no longer have to pay for lunch
We are serving 200+ more students lunch every day.
Salad bar sold it for us
No more chasing unpaid bills

12. More Take Aways:
5. We had to hire staff and add prep room
6. You get compensatory Revenue whether students eat or not.
7. We still banked Money.
8. Doubting Parents have promised to fill out the forms next Year
9.We make the form part of our registration and open house.

13. It turned out, it doesn’t have to be that hard
It turned out, it doesn’t have to be that hard! And we have a new revenue source!

14. No Good Deed Goes Unpunisheed
After a Year of Free Meals
Form Completion Dropped 20%
Compensatory Revenue Dropped $100,000

15. New Push this Year with threat of ending program.
75% completed forms get $117,000 back next year.
Parents save about $500 per child per year, and they can spend it in the community
This year salad bar became a federally reimbursable meal

16. Nationally
20,721 Number of schools in the U.S. with who prequalify and do not need to complete any forms because their entire community pre-qualifies.
9,697,575 Number of students in those schools (19.45% of the total US public school population)
25,826,227  Number public school students  on free and reduced lunch as of (51.8%)
15% Students we are missing due to PRIDE, language, fear or confusion
2/3 Total number of children who should qualify if I am right.

17. Why are we still filling out forms?
We are at the point where meals should be a part of education as much as text books and computers for ALL students. B

18. Need Passive way to Qualify
Statewide:
Need Passive way to Qualify
Statewide Universal Free Meals cost per pupil =$200 B

19. Nationally:
We are already over half way there
National Universal Free Meals
Cost per pupil $200 for all
Benefits ALL…
Eliminates State and Federal Bureaucracy
If you can afford lunch you can donate the money you save

20. If You Have Questions Later: Kevin Wellen, Superintendent
If you try this please me how many new students will get free lunch because of it and How much new revenue was generated. I will track that data share it out next year.
If You Have Questions Later:
Kevin Wellen, Superintendent
Menahga Public Schools
Cell: