The Monroe Public Schools Board of Education has approved a lunch-price increase of 10 cents for next school year, but prices in MPS cafeterias still will be lower than most of the other Monroe County districts are this school year.

Even with the adjustment, elementary lunch prices will be the lowest in Monroe County in the public school districts. 

          For the 2015-16 school year, lunch prices were $2.05 per lunch for elementary and $2.80 for secondary grades 7-12.  Those prices will be adjusted to $2.15 and $2.90, respectively, next school year.  The 10-cent per lunch adjustment equates to $16.80 annually if a child were to purchase hot lunch at the school cafeteria every day of the nine-month school year.

          For next school year, school breakfast prices will remain at this year’s level.  At Monroe Public Schools, breakfast is $1 per meal for elementary, middle school and high school.  Those prices are the lowest in the county, matched only by one other district.

          Katherine Eighmey, director of Finance, Monroe Public Schools said that the Federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires school food providers to adjust lunch prices annually based on an averaging formula provided in the act. 

Information by Bobb Vergiels