S. 3157 — School Meals for Healthy Kids Act of 2025

This section authorizes state agencies that used Medicaid program data to directly certify children for free or reduced-price lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLP) and free or reduced-price breakfasts under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 for the school year beginning July 1, 2024, through demonstration projects carried out pursuant to this Act to continue using such data for subsequent school years in accordance with the conditions in effect at the start of that school year. (Direct certification uses administrative data matching—such as from Medicaid—to automatically enroll eligible children in school meal programs without household applications, thereby simplifying the process and increasing participation.)

This section codifies the reimbursement methodology for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)—which allows high-need schools or districts serving free lunches (and breakfasts, if applicable) to all students without individual applications, with payments based on directly certified students multiplied by specified factors—in the National School Lunch Program by (1) limiting it to regulations as in effect on the date of enactment of the School Meals for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 (previously "or successor regulations"), (2) setting the multiplier at 1.6 for each school year, and (3) striking subclause (III) of clause (xi).