Becky Pringle President of National Education Association | Official Website
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has instructed states to halt the processing of November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, warning that the program could deplete its funds within two weeks. This directive has raised concerns among educators and advocates who argue that millions of Americans—especially children—are at risk of increased food insecurity if funding is disrupted.
SNAP supports 42 million people across the country, including 16 million children, eight million seniors, and four million individuals with disabilities. An interruption in SNAP funding would likely increase hardship for families and impact schools and communities nationwide.
Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association (NEA), criticized the decision not to use available contingency funds to continue SNAP benefits. “There is a clear solution to keep food on the table—and the Administration is actively choosing not to use it, instead using our children’s well-being as leverage,” said Pringle. “Let’s be clear: they are willing to let children go hungry so they can sidestep responsibility for healthcare funding. We are calling on Congress to immediately restore funding, reimburse states that step in to feed families, and for the Administration to direct the USDA to release emergency funds to keep SNAP benefits flowing now.”
Pringle also called for prioritizing children's needs over political disputes: “We need leaders who choose children over politics,” she added. “Our children’s health, education, and futures are not bargaining chips. By refusing to act—and by denying support to states trying to help—they are showing just how far they are willing to go to risk Americans' well-being, and how comfortable they are gambling with students’ health, learning, and lives. No child and no family should ever go hungry because of political games in Washington.”
Educators report seeing students arrive at school hungry when nutrition assistance is interrupted. Many teachers and support staff face similar challenges themselves but have been organizing food drives and donating resources from their own pockets in an effort to ensure students do not miss meals.
“We all want our public schools to be places where every student can learn, grow, and thrive,” said Pringle. “But when kids are hungry, learning becomes much harder. Every child deserves access to healthy meals. Ensuring children have enough to eat should never be part of a political calculation. When students come to school hungry, their ability to learn and succeed suffers.”
She further stated: “Letting hunger grow among our children because of a government shutdown is a policy choice, and one we cannot accept.”
School meal programs play an important role beyond feeding students; they help promote equity by removing barriers for low-income families while supporting local food systems through school partnerships. According to Pringle: “Every student—no matter where they live or their family’s income—should have nourishing, delicious, and welcoming meals that fuel their success.”
For more information about proposed cuts affecting SNAP under H.R.1—the so-called Big Ugly Bill—read more at https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/feed-students-not-billionaires.
The NEA represents nearly three million members nationwide working in various educational roles.
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