Local district hikes school lunch, milk prices

Queen Anne’s County Public Schools Board of Education approved a 15-cent per meal price increase and 5-cent per milk carton price increase for the 2024-2025 school year at their June 26 meeting.

The board cited cost increases for the higher prices.

Lunch prices had remained the same since the 2022-2023 school year, according to Julie Hickey, coordinator of food services.

Historically, meal prices have increased 10 cents every two years, but this year’s increases were based on the Maryland Department of Education Paid Lunch Equity Tool, and minimum wage increases to $15 an hour, Hickey said.

The Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home has also increased by four percent over the past 12 months, she said.

The price increase for milk comes in part as a result of national cardboard shortages, according to Hickey.

Voicing a lone nay against the price increase, Board President Helen Bennett noted an irony of the state’s unfunded Blueprint For Maryland’s Future and as a result of minimum wage increases, the district has to increase meal prices.

With the approval, QACPS breakfast for the upcoming school year is now $1.75 for all students.

Elementary school lunch rates are now $2.75, middle school and high school prices are $3, and staff lunch is $4.25. Milk cartons are now 55 cents each.

Meal prices do not impact the number of students who would be eligible for free or reduced meals, Hickey said.

In other business it was noted, as it moves toward self operational food services, QACPS once again approved a piggybacking contract, this one a little more soft served.

The BOE approved a piggyback off Anne Arundel County Public Schools contract with Hershey Creamery Company for ice cream products and freezers.

This contract that other Maryland school districts are piggybacking off of is set to expire March 2025 and then QACPS will be able to piggyback off of Baltimore County Public Schools’ bid through March 2028, Hickey said.

The fiscal impact will be $50,000 and funding will be out of the food service fund balance account, she said.

QACPS currently sells Hershey’s ice cream as an a la carte item.

The QACPS Board of Education will next meet July 17 at 6 p.m.