Kenai Peninsula Borough School District elementary students will pay a little more for school lunches starting in January. That’s after peninsula school board members unanimously voted last week to raise meal prices for the first time in over three years.
Elementary students will pay $0.10 more for lunch, or $3.60 per meal. Even at the higher price, they’ll still pay less for meals than students in Juneau, Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Mat-Su school districts.
Kevin Lyon says the ten cent increase is the smallest change the district can make to remain compliant with federal law. He’s the district’s director of planning and operations.
“This is due to the inflation you guys all see,” he said. “I stopped today, and I don't think I can get a meal, not even an unnutritious meal, for less than $11 just about anywhere.”
The change doesn’t apply to students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, which Lyon says is more than half of the district’s student body.
Adults will see the biggest price hike for school meals, also starting in January. They’ll pay $2.50 more for breakfast and lunch. Lyon says that’s to cover the cost of preparing adult meals and prevent shifting more of the financial burden to students.
Anyone in a school building during school hours can purchase a school meal, like parents who want to eat with their kids.
