H.R. 8798

Universal School Meals Program Act of 2026

Sponsor: Ilhan Omar

103 cosponsors
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I School Breakfast Program

II School Lunch Program

III Elementary and Secondary Education Data

IV Amendments to Other Programs and Laws

Sec. 402. Higher Education Act of 1965

(a) Teacher quality enhancement. Subparagraph (A) of section 200(11) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021(11)) is amended to read as follows:

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(A) In general. The term high-need school means a school that is in the highest quartile of schools in a ranking of all schools served by a local educational agency, ranked in descending order by percentage of students from low-income families enrolled in such schools, as determined by the local educational agency based on one of the following measures of poverty:

(i) The percentage of students aged 5 through 17 in poverty counted in the most recent census data approved by the Secretary.

(ii) The percentage of students in families receiving assistance under the State program funded under the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families established under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

(iii) The percentage of students eligible to receive medical assistance under the program of medical assistance established under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).

(iv) A composite of two or more of the measures described in clauses (i) through (iii).

(b) GEAR Up. Subparagraph (A) of section 404B(d)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a–22(d)(1)) is amended to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(A) provide services under this chapter to at least one grade level of students, beginning not later than 7th grade, in a participating school—

(i) that has a 7th grade; and

(ii) in which—

(I) at least 50 percent of the students enrolled are economically disadvantaged students (as identified under a measure described in section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); or

(II) if an eligible entity determines that it would promote the effectiveness of a program, an entire grade level of students, beginning not later than the 7th grade, reside in public housing, as defined in section 3(b)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a(b)(1)).

(c) Early Federal pell grant commitment demonstration program. Section 894(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1161y(b)) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking qualify for a free or reduced price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) and inserting are economically disadvantaged students (as identified under a measure described in section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965); and

(2) in paragraph (5), by striking eligible for a free or reduced price school lunch under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) and inserting economically disadvantaged students (as identified under a measure described in section 1113(a)(5) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965).