US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 1758a

State performance on enrolling children receiving program benefits for free school meals

(a)

In general

7 U.S.C. 2011Not later than and June 30 of each year thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Agriculture and Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that assesses the effectiveness of each State in enrolling school-aged children in households receiving program benefits under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ( et seq.) (referred to in this section as “program benefits”) for free school meals using direct certification.

(b)

Specific measures

The assessment of the Secretary of the performance of each State shall include—
(1)
an estimate of the number of school-aged children, by State, who were members of a household receiving program benefits at any time in July, August, or September of the prior year;
(2)
42 U.S.C. 1751 an estimate of the number of school-aged children, by State, who were directly certified as eligible for free lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( et seq.), based on receipt of program benefits, as of October 1 of the prior year; and
(3)
42 U.S.C. 1759a(a)(1) an estimate of the number of school-aged children, by State, who were members of a household receiving program benefits at any time in July, August, or September of the prior year who were not candidates for direct certification because on October 1 of the prior year the children attended a school operating under the special assistance provisions of section 11(a)(1) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act () that is not operating in a base year.
(c)

Performance innovations

The report of the Secretary shall describe best practices from States with the best performance or the most improved performance from the previous year.

Pub. L. 110–234, title IV, § 4301122 Stat. 1125Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)122 Stat. 1664(, , ; , title IV, § 4301, , , 1886.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 88–52578 Stat. 703section 2011 of Title 7The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, referred to in subsec. (a), is , , , which is classified generally to chapter 51 (§ 2011 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

act June 4, 1946, ch. 28160 Stat. 230section 1751 of this titleThe Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), is , , which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234Pub. L. 110–246Pub. L. 110–234section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246 and enacted identical sections. was repealed by .

Section was enacted as part of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, and not as part of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act which comprises this chapter.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Education and Labor of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Education and the Workforce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, .

Effective Date

Pub. L. 110–234Pub. L. 110–246Pub. L. 110–234section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246section 8701 of Title 7Enactment of this section and repeal of by effective , the date of enactment of , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as a note under , Agriculture.

section 4407 of Pub. L. 110–246section 1161 of Title 2Section effective , see , set out as an Effective Date of 2008 Amendment note under , The Congress.

Definition of “Secretary”

section 8701 of Title 7“Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture, see , Agriculture.