ACTION ITEMS

Approval of 2015-2016 Student Meal Prices

Woodland School District:

Agenda Item:                  Breakfast and Lunch Prices 2015-16

Recommendations:      The board of directors to approve meal prices for the 2015-2016 school year as follows:

Breakfast: Primary Schools $1.45, Middle Schools $1.70, High Schools $1.85, Adults $2.50 (No Change)

and

Lunch: Primary Schools $2.20, Middle Schools, $2.55, High Schools $2.75, Adults $3.50 (No Change)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Background:

Current Meal Prices:     Breakfast: Primary Schools $1.35, Middle Schools $1.50,

                                         High Schools $1.50, Adults $2.50

and

Lunch: Primary Schools $2.10, Middle Schools, $2.45, High Schools $2.45, Adults $3.50

Student Lunch Prices:

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires all local education agencies (LEA) to calculate their weighted average paid lunch price using the Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Tool.  If the weighted average paid lunch price for 2015-16 is at least $2.70, then no further action is required.  All LEAs must keep a copy of their PLE calculations (either electronic or paper) on file.  Ensuring that all LEAs have made this calculation will be part of administrative reviews conducted by OSPI.

If the weighted average paid lunch price is less than $2.70, then there are three options to meet the PLE requirement:

• Increase the price charged for paid lunches ~ this is the option we are using.
• Contribute non-Federal funds to the food service account.
• Choose a combination of increasing paid lunch prices and contributing non-Federal funds.  

Using the PLE Tool:

Please note that this price increase will not affect students that qualify for free or reduced-price meals.  The reduced price for lunch is $.40 and is set by OSPI.  Students in grades K-3 that qualify for reduced price lunch do not pay anything for lunch as these meals are currently covered by the state.  Washington State Legislature funds reduced price lunch for K-3 to encourage student participation in the school meal programs.  Children that are not hungry are better able to concentrate and learn in school and the legislature felt strongly enough about this to help subsidize the meal program.

Student Breakfast Prices:

There is no Paid Breakfast Equity Requirement. The state provided equivalency rate (3 Breakfast = 2 Lunches or 66.67%) is being used to set school breakfast prices.  A school breakfast cost approximately 66.67% of a school lunch so this is good approach to setting breakfast prices. It’s important to note that Sodexo’s billing to the district per breakfast meal is based on the 66.67 equivalency and new component requirements as per the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act have resulted in breakfast cost increases over the past few years.

All students in grades K-12 that qualify for reduced price breakfast receive breakfast at no cost as these meals are also covered by the state.  Washington State Legislature funds reduced breakfast to encourage student participation in the school meal programs. 

Adult Meal Prices:

Adult Lunch Price:

As per OSPI Bulletin No. 015-14 CNS (June 2014) ~ the adult lunch price must be set high enough to cover the actual cost of the meal.  One approach the state suggests for setting the adult lunch price is by using: The price charged to students paying the high school full meal price ($2.75), plus the value of federal reimbursement for paid student meals ($0.28), plus the USDA Commodity Food Value ($0.2325). This totals to $3.2625 and was rounded up to $3.30. Since the adult meal price is already above this amount no increase is necessary.

Adult Breakfast Price:

The same approach used to set the adult lunch price can be used to determine the Adult

Breakfast Price by using: The price charged to students paying the high school full meal price

($1.85) plus the value of federal reimbursement for paid student meals ($0.28).Commodities are not allocated for breakfast meals so that rate does not need to be included. This totals to $2.13 and was rounded up to $2.15. Since the adult meal price is already above this amount no increase is necessary.

Administrative Recommendation /MOTION/  "I move we approve 2015-2016 student meal prices as presented."