Leon County School Board approves student meal price increases

The Leon County School District is moving forward with student meal price increases.

During the Leon County School Board meeting Tuesday night, the board approved their consent agenda. Part of the consent agenda were 2024-2025 meal price recommendations.

District staff said, "due to the significant increase in food and labor costs over the last several years, Dining Services is requesting a price adjustment to student meal prices."

See the approved price changes in the table below:

The district said changes follow inflation from 2020 to 2024.

In the approved price recommendation, staff noted, "for the 2024-2025 school year 36 schools will continue to offer meals to students at no charge through the Community Eligibility Program." The district also explained, "the price adjustments at those schools would only affect students who purchase a second lunch or adults purchasing a meal. Additionally, the price charged to students approved for Reduced-Price lunch will remain the same as in prior years, $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch."

We checked the Consumer Price Index. The most recent data show in May of 2024, food prices were about two percent higher than May of 2023. Leon County students return to school August 12, 2024.