Patrick Tutwiler, the state’s education secretary, will make his television debut to deliver the message that “school is where kids belong.” It's part of a multilingual campaign by the state's K-12 education department, including billboards and ads on radio and public transit.

A range of financial, logistical and regulatory challenges have the potential to disrupt school meal service as pandemic relief funding expires and stricter standards arrive, advocates say.

Myriam Rogers' first budget request as superintendent comes as Maryland prepares for a slowing economy and federal coronavirus pandemic funding is set to expire this year.

"No child in this country should go hungry," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in an interview with The Associated Press. "They certainly shouldn't go hungry because they lose access to nutritious school meals during the summer months."