Breakfast, lunch prices to increase at Chesterfield schools, more students to qualify for free meals

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — School lunch and breakfast prices in Chesterfield County Public Schools will increase during school years 2024 and 2025, with a large percentage of students to qualify for free meals next year.

During a May 14 meeting , Berkley Dunbrack, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, announced lunch prices in Chesterfield County Public Schools will increase due to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Paid Lunch Equity tool.

According to Dunbrack, per the department, the weighted average price for school lunch is based on adjusting the school year 2023 and 2024 price requirement by a 2% rate increase plus the consumer price index, which is 8.27%.

Based on that proposal and information, Dunbrack said the proposed price increase for school year 2024 and 2025 would be raised by about $0.25 per meal.

The following is the proposed pricing for breakfast, as well as lunch for Chesterfield elementary, middle and high schools for school years 2024 and 2025:

• Breakfast — $2.25
• Elementary school lunch — $3.25
• Middle and high school lunch — $3.50

However, a large percentage of students would have access to free school meals next year, according to Dunbrack.

About 40 Chesterfield schools currently participate in the Community Eligibility Provision, which allows for all students within a qualified school to receive free breakfast and lunch.

Schools that qualify federally for the Community Eligibility Provision are chosen based on its identified student percentage, which must fall at 40% or over. However, Dunbrack said some schools can qualify at 25% or over, but it comes at the schools’ own financial decision.

According to Dunbrack, updated percentages based on the current precedent of 30% of identified student percentage would qualify Monacan High School and Alberta Smith Elementary School for free breakfast and lunches for students.

Dunbrack said they are proposing to add Monacan High and Alberta Smith Elementary to the Community Eligibility Provision next year, which would make 60% of students in the county qualify for free school meals.

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