MONROE - A federal law designed to make school lunches more nutritious is bumping up Monroe's student hot lunch prices by a dime per day for the 2012-13 school year.
School lunch prices will increase from $1.85 to $1.95 for elementary students; from $2.10 to $2.20 for middle school students; and from $2.35 to $2.45 for high school students.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, signed into law in 2010, stipulates local districts must charge the same amount as the federal funding of $2.46 for free and reduced lunches. Districts below this level must raise prices, up to 10 cents per year, until they reach the federal funding benchmark.
Monroe serves about 12,000 lunches per month, with the greatest participation in the elementary grades, according to Ron Olson, district business administrator. The average price in the district currently comes in at $2.10.
This is the second year in a row that Monroe has raised prices to comply with the law as it works to reach the $2.46 level - despite having a healthy surplus in the food service account. Olson said the fund balance for food service is about $120,000, with $20,000 of that being inventory.
"The law is forcing us to do it," Olson said. Adult lunch prices, which are not subsidized under the federal school lunch program, will increase from $3 to $3.25.
School lunch prices will increase from $1.85 to $1.95 for elementary students; from $2.10 to $2.20 for middle school students; and from $2.35 to $2.45 for high school students.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, signed into law in 2010, stipulates local districts must charge the same amount as the federal funding of $2.46 for free and reduced lunches. Districts below this level must raise prices, up to 10 cents per year, until they reach the federal funding benchmark.
Monroe serves about 12,000 lunches per month, with the greatest participation in the elementary grades, according to Ron Olson, district business administrator. The average price in the district currently comes in at $2.10.
This is the second year in a row that Monroe has raised prices to comply with the law as it works to reach the $2.46 level - despite having a healthy surplus in the food service account. Olson said the fund balance for food service is about $120,000, with $20,000 of that being inventory.
"The law is forcing us to do it," Olson said. Adult lunch prices, which are not subsidized under the federal school lunch program, will increase from $3 to $3.25.