Funding for school safety increased, local optional aid for schools increased, state-paid free school lunches limited to families with incomes at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, and money appropriated.

HF 3511 increases state funding for school safety and local optional school aid while changing Minnesota's school meal program. It limits state-paid free and reduced-price school lunches to families earning at or below 500% of the federal poverty level (approximately $160,000 for a family of four in 2024), replacing the previous "free school meals program" with an "enhanced school meals program." The bill also reduces state reimbursement rates for school lunches starting in fiscal year 2028 - from 12.5 cents per full-paid/free meal to 6.25 cents - while requiring schools to adopt new meal policies preventing "lunch shaming" and ensuring students receive meals regardless of unpaid debt. This directly affects Minnesota public schools and families with children enrolled in the national school lunch program.