The Lindbergh Schools Board of Education voted in favor of increasing meal prices for the 2023-2024 school year at its June 15 meeting.

Breakfast for elementary and secondary students is now $1.85, increasing by 20 cents from the previous school year. Lunch for students increased by 30 cents for elementary students and 35 cents for secondary students, with prices now at $3.45 and $3.65, respectively.

Meal prices for adults working in the district also increased, with breakfast for both elementary and secondary staff now $2.75. Lunch for staff is now $4.85.

Additionally, a la carte items increased 15 cents across the inventory offered, and extra milk increased 5 cents.

School districts nationwide set their meal prices for the upcoming school year each year in June per U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations.

For student lunches, the state agency sends the “Paid Lunch Equity Pricing Calculator” with tools and instructions each year. The calculation from this determines the minimum and maximum pricing for lunches for each district, and is a requirement under section 205 of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 for all schools with pricing programs that participate in the National School Lunch Program.

The purpose of paid lunch equity is to increase paid meal prices to be more equal with funds brought in from free and reduced-price meal reimbursements.

There are no specific regulations for breakfast pricing.

Meals served to adults must be priced so that the adult payment is enough to cover the overall cost of the meals, including the value of any USDA entitlement and bonus donated foods used to prepare the meal. If calculated correctly, adult meals and student meals should not be the same price.