Gov. Ned Lamont joined school officials and advocates on Thursday during the lunch period at the Florence E. Smith STEM School in West Hartford to renew his push for universal free breakfast for K-12 students. Behind them sat a large group of second graders eating pasta and salad. When it came t ime for his remarks, Lamont asked if they wanted to join him in front of the cameras — an invitation they eagerly accepted. This is the second year Lamont has urged the General Assembly to fund universal breakfast meals. His proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 directs $12 million to the effort; education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said doing so would provide breakfast to an additional 164,000 students. The governor has also proposed spending $500,000 to allow all reduced-lunch students — of which there are roughly 13,000 — to eat for free. “Providing healthy meals is a strategic investment in supporting student growth and improving educational outcomes,” Russell-Tucker said. The push for a statewide free school meal program comes as recent restrictions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, make it harder, and in some cases impossible, for families to access food assistance. In addition, wealthy districts still have some kids from low-income families and advocates argue these children may not eat because of the stigma surrounding free meals. They say making meals free for everyone removes that barrier. And there are families who don’t qualify for free meals but who still struggle with high grocery store prices. Rep. Kate Farrar, D-West Hartford, emphasized that point. “In Connecticut statewide, that number is 40% of our families, simply unable to make ends meet,” Farrar said, referencing the state’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) numbers. She said that includes 26% of families in relatively affluent West Hartford. Several speakers at Thursday’s press conference said providing meals to kids has a range of proven benefits. Kids have an easier time paying attention when their bellies are full and they retain information better. “Focusing on learning is much harder when your 7-year-old stomach is growling because you haven’t eaten for several hours, or perhaps even since yesterday,” said Janée Woods Weber, executive director of the advocacy group She Leads Justice. “When meals are provided at no cost to all students, rates for absenteeism, bullying and suspensions decrease, while test scores increase and student behavior improves.” Food Service Director Tim Prosinski, right, explains the school lunches to Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker and Gov. Ned Lamont before a press conference on universal breakfast at Florence E. Smith STEM School in West Hartford on February 5, 2026. Credit: Shahrzad Rasekh / CT Mirror Committee on Children co-Chair Sen. Ceci Maher, D-Wilton, issued a statement Wednesday praising the push for universal free breakfasts but urged the state to go further and include lunches, as well. “After years of advocating for universal no-cost school meals for students in Connecticut, I’m heartened to hear Governor Lamont knows how important this priority is for our youth,” said Maher. “Children who have access to food in schools can learn and focus better, and it is directly tied to better outcomes as they grow up.” One possible point of contention: where the state finds the money. In the governor’s budget, the $12 million addition to free breakfast meals appears right next to a $12 million cut to regional magnet schools. Under the proposal, those schools would then be allowed to start raising tuition on local districts again (tuition has been frozen since state funding was increased in a previous budget cycle).  “There’ll be more conversations, I’m sure, throughout the [legislative] session on that,” said Russell-Tucker when asked about the apparent connection between those two line items. Lamont said his bottom line for this session overall is that the budget remains balanced. The Connecticut Association of Urban Superintendents issued a statement today expressing “serious concerns” about the governor’s budget, including the idea of allowing regional magnet schools to begin raising tuition. The organization estimates New Britain alone would have to pay an additional $2 million as a result of that change. ...read more read less