LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — Monday night, the Fayette County School Board approved a 65-cent increase in student breakfast prices and a 25-cent increase in student lunch prices for the upcoming school year. The vote at the August 8 specially called meeting was 3-2, with members Stephanie Aschmann Spires and Tom Jones opposing the move.
Fayette County Public Schools report that they needed the price increases to stay in compliance with federal requirements. Despite this, officials told FOX 56 that the cafeteria meals are less expensive than in surrounding counties such as Scott, Jessamine, and Madison.
The new prices are:
- $2 for breakfast at all grades
- $2.75 for lunch at elementary schools
- $3 for lunch at middle and high schools
The increases are the first in FCPS since the 2016-17 school year.
Students attending the 49 schools where everyone receives free meals are not affected. Under a federal program known as the Community Eligibility Provision or CEP, all students at these sites eat for free because a certain percentage of families qualify for federal assistance.
At the 18 schools not in the CEP program, students can still qualify for free meals based on their family’s income.
