State: Fayette must raise school meal prices. Food fund in $1.5 million deficit

The Kentucky Department of Education has advised Fayette County Public Schools that school meal prices must increase for the 2026-2027 academic year due to a $1.5 million deficit in the nonprofit school food service account.

Superintendent Demetrus Liggins announced the situation at Thursday night’s school board planning meeting.

According to the Kentucky Department of Education, there was a negative balance in the nonprofit school food service account as of June 30, 2025.

Beginning with the 2026-27 school year, the following meal price adjustments will take effect if the Fayette County Board of Education approves the changes: • Breakfast: $2 to $2.50 • Lunch (elementary schools): $2.75 to $3.50 • Lunch (middle and high schools): $3 to $3.75

“Fayette County Public Schools understands that families across our community are continuing to navigate rising costs, including groceries and everyday expenses. We do not take any changes to student meal pricing lightly, and we recognize the impact this might have on our families,” FCPS said in a news release.

“Like households throughout our community, school nutrition programs across Kentucky are experiencing increased costs for food, labor, and supplies. Despite continued increases, FCPS has not raised student meal prices for four years,” the news release said.

The state education department is requiring any school district with a negative Child Nutrition Program on June 30, 2025, to increase meal prices, FCPS said.

District officials say support is available. Families are encouraged to apply for free meal benefits, which can eliminate the cost of school meals. Families can visit the MySchoolApps website to apply.

“In addition, FCPS continues to work closely with community partners to help ensure students have access to food beyond the school day, including during evenings and weekends,” the release said.

Previous proposals to increase meal prices had been controversial. School board members nixed a similar proposal last year.

Current meal prices aren’t covering the cost of production for food, labor and supplies, according to a document attached to the board’s agenda for Thursday.

The district loses money on every paid meal served, leaving federal reimbursements for free meals to carry the program’s losses, district officials say.

School program regulations require school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program to ensure sufficient funds are provided to the nonprofit school food service account for meals served to students not eligible for free or reduced-price meals, the agenda document says.

School districts can meet the funding requirement through the prices charged for “paid” meals, or through other non-federal sources such as district funds provided to the nonprofit school food service account. While there have been significant increases in food, labor and supply expenses in recent years, student meal prices have not increased since 2022-2023, according to the agenda document.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 8:21 PM.