The Great Falls Public Schools board approved a 10 cent increase for student meal prices during their April 22 meeting.

The federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires schools to annually review the prices charged for student
meals.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides a calculator that compares meal prices to the federal reimbursement paid to the GFPS for students who participate in the free and reduced lunch program, according to GFPS.

The weighted average price provided by the calculator is $3.45 per lunch, according to Brian Patrick, GFPS’ business operations manager.

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The district is required to increase the meal price to the weighted average price or increase the price by 10 cents per year until it meets the level determined by the price adjustment calculator, Patrick said.

If the district doesn’t implement the price increase, paid meals must be reimbursed by non-federal funds to cover the difference.

To meet the $3.45 weighted average price, the district would have to raise elementary school meal prices by 55 cents and high school lunch prices by 45 cents, Patrick said.

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He recommended that the board approved the 10 cent increase to help offset rising food prices.

The board approved the 10 cent increase for the 2024-2025 school year.

The prices for enrolled students will be:

• elementary lunches from $2.90 to $3
• secondary lunches from $3 to $3.10
• elementary breakfasts from $1.85 to $1.95
• secondary breakfasts from $1.85 to $1.95

Patrick said that the price increase does not affect students on the free and reduced lunch program.

The district serves about 900,000 lunches annually, Patrick said.

Adult meal prices will be adjusted when the pricing becomes available, Patrick said.