A new law signed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster is bringing a big change to schools across the state.
This law will give more students access to free school lunches, and most importantly, it will stop schools from shaming students who cannot afford to pay for their meals.
The law, signed on May 21, 2024, aims to help children focus on their studies instead of worrying about how they will afford lunch. It also ensures that schools treat every child with dignity, even if their parents haven’t paid the lunch fees.
Under this new policy, schools in South Carolina are now banned from taking away meals from students just because they owe money.
Schools also cannot make students do chores to pay off their meal debt, or punish them in any way. This includes things like not letting them join sports or school activities just because they haven’t paid for lunch.
Another important part of the law is that it requires schools to handle meal debt privately. This means no more calling out students in front of their classmates or sending letters home that could embarrass the child. All communication about unpaid balances will now go directly to the parents or guardians.
South Carolina joins several other states in taking action to stop meal-shaming, a practice that has gained national attention in recent years.
Across the U.S., many families have spoken up about how their children were treated differently or embarrassed at school just because they couldn’t afford lunch. This law now protects South Carolina students from that kind of treatment.
Along with stopping shaming, the new law also helps more students get free lunch. It makes the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) easier for schools to use.
CEP allows schools in high-poverty areas to offer free meals to every student without collecting individual applications. With this change, many schools will now find it easier to qualify for this program and feed more students for free.
Supporters of the bill, including education groups and child advocates, say this will reduce stress for families and help students do better in school.
Research has shown that when kids are well-fed, they concentrate better in class, behave better, and perform better overall. Hungry children are more likely to struggle with learning and even miss school more often.
Lawmakers from both political parties supported this bill, showing that helping children get proper meals at school is an issue that crosses party lines. The goal is to remove barriers and make sure no child feels ashamed or goes hungry during the school day.
For parents who are already struggling with other rising costs—like rent, electricity, and groceries—this law comes as a relief. It means one less thing to worry about and ensures their children are being cared for while they’re at school.
The law will be effective starting with the 2024-2025 school year. Schools are now making plans to follow the new rules, update their policies, and work with families to make sure everyone understands the changes.
In the end, this is more than just a change in policy—it’s a step toward creating a kinder, fairer school environment where every child is treated with respect.
No student should feel ashamed because of their family’s financial situation, and with this new law, South Carolina is working to make sure of that.