Parma City Schools Extends Free Breakfast and Lunch to All Students in 2025-26
For the second year in a row, Parma City School District is ensuring that every student has access to free breakfast and lunch. Through the Community Eligibility Provision, the district eliminates the barrier of applications and guarantees nutritious meals for all children.
The impact has been clear. Participation rose sharply last year, with breakfast up nearly 38 percent and lunch up more than 15 percent.
Popular new menu options like chicken biscuits with honey and açai bowls have helped, but the real difference comes from removing cost as an obstacle. Students who may not have qualified for free or reduced meals before, yet whose families still faced struggles, are now included.
This initiative goes beyond convenience. It directly supports student health, learning, and well-being. And it reflects a broader principle: under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child has the right to adequate nutrition and a standard of living that supports their development. Parma’s commitment makes that right real for its students.
