The bill amends sections 3314.03, 3326.11, and 3328.24 of the Revised Code and introduces a new section, 3313.8110, which mandates that public schools provide meals to all students regardless of their ability to pay. It requires school districts to serve meals to any student who requests one, prohibiting practices such as requiring students to discard meals due to unpaid debts, performing chores to settle meal debts, or using meal denial as a form of discipline. Additionally, the bill forbids the public identification or stigmatization of students with meal debts and stipulates that communication regarding these debts should be directed to parents or guardians instead of the students.

The bill also includes provisions for community schools, STEM schools, and college-preparatory boarding schools, requiring them to submit detailed plans for alternative arrangements for students and teachers who choose not to participate in converted schools. It allows contracts between sponsors and governing authorities to include payments for monitoring and oversight, capped at three percent of operating expenses. The bill repeals the existing sections mentioned earlier while adding new compliance requirements for STEM and college-preparatory boarding schools, ensuring they adhere to various sections of the Revised Code as if they were school districts. The General Assembly aims to harmonize these amendments with previous legislation to ensure cohesive implementation.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3314.03, 3326.11, 3328.24