Section 49564.3 - High-poverty schools; free breakfast and lunch(a) For purposes of this section, a "high-poverty school" is a school that enrolls pupils in kindergarten or in any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, and is eligible to operate under the Community Eligibility Provision, pursuant to Section 1759a of Title 42 of the United States Code.(b)(1) In order to provide pupils in high-poverty schools with optimal nutrition for learning and to ensure that schools receive the maximum federal meal reimbursement, a school district or a county superintendent of schools shall provide breakfast and lunch free of charge to all pupils at a high-poverty school pursuant to this section.(2)(A) On or before June 30, 2022, a school district or county superintendent of schools that has a high-poverty school with an identified student percentage of 40 percent or more in its jurisdiction shall apply to operate a federal universal meal service provision, which may include, but is not limited to, the Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2, pursuant to Section 1759a of Title 42 of the United States Code.(B) Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit a school district or a county superintendent of schools from participating in a federal universal meal service provision if a high-poverty school in its jurisdiction has an identified student percentage of less than 40 percent.(3) A school district or county superintendent of schools shall begin providing a universal meal service pursuant to Section 1759a of Title 42 of the United States Code to all pupils at a high-poverty school upon state approval to operate a universal meal service.(c) The department shall provide technical assistance to school districts and county superintendents of schools for the purpose of maximizing the number of schools within each local educational agency to be eligible for the Community Eligibility Provision, pursuant to Section 1759a of Title 42 of the United States Code.(d) For purposes of this section, a charter school shall be considered a high-poverty school only if it participates in the federal National School Lunch Program or the federal School Breakfast Program, or both, and meets the description in subdivision (a). A charter school that is a high-poverty school shall comply with the requirements specified in subdivision (b).Amended by Stats 2024 ch 38 (SB 153),s 59, eff. 6/29/2024.Added by Stats 2021 ch 44 (AB 130),s 64, eff. 7/9/2021.