The Lawrence school board on Monday approved a 10-cent increase to meal prices for the third consecutive year.
In 2024-25, lunch rates for elementary, middle and high school students who are not in the free and reduced-price lunch program were $3, $3.20 and $3.25. New prices in 2025-26 are set at $3.10 for elementary, $3.30 for middle and $3.35 for high schools.
Full-price breakfasts for elementary, middle and high school students were previously $2, $2.10 and $2.15. New prices are $2.10 for elementary, $2.20 for middle and $2.25 for high schools.
Reduced-price lunches and breakfasts remain the same, priced at 40 cents and 30 cents, respectively.
And adult meals now cost $5.10 for lunch and $3.10 for breakfast, up from $5 and $3.
Board members unanimously approved the new prices with a vote of 7-0 as part of their consent agenda — a list of items routinely approved in one motion unless a board member or the superintendent pulls an item for discussion.
Julie Henry, director of nutrition and wellness, told the board at its June 9 meeting that the district’s weighted paid meal price in 2024-25 was around $3, but the United States Department of Agriculture determined its weighted average price requirement for lunch in 2025-26 is nearly $1 more than that. The difference is a loss on every fully paid meal the district serves to a student.
She said the district wants to avoid dipping into its general fund if the trend continues, so it chose to make the minimum increase of 10 cents allowed each year, in hopes of a less dramatic change in costs for families.
Federal law requires local districts to annually adjust their meal prices to align with the USDA.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
