U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and John Cornyn have introduced a bipartisan bill that would set up a pilot program dedicated to providing federal funds for nutrition education programs in schools, The Hill reports.
If passed, the Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act of 2020 would fund projects that provide hands-on learning for students, such as school gardens. The program would also provide funding for schools to hire full-time food and nutrition educators.
Priority funding would be given to schools where at least 40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals and to schools that are located in neighborhoods with high rates of diet-related illnesses in children.