Marshall Schools approve 15¢ student meal increase for 2025–26 to align with federal benchmark
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Summary
The board approved a 15¢ increase to paid student meal prices for 2025–26. District officials cited Section 205 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 and said the move is intended to reduce an audit finding risk by moving prices toward the federal target.
The Marshall Public Schools Board of Education approved a 15¢ increase in paid student meal prices for the 2025–26 school year to reduce the gap between the district average lunch price and the federal target set under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
District staff told the board that Section 205 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act requires an annual comparison of the district’s average paid lunch price to a federal target. For 2025–26 the federal target lunch price is $4.01. The district’s average paid lunch price for 2024–25 was $3.27. To address the gap over multiple years, the district proposed and the board approved a 15¢ increase for the 2025–26 year.
New prices approved for 2025–26 (as presented to the board): breakfast $1.75 (from $1.60); milk 50¢ (unchanged); K–5 lunch $3.35 (from $3.20); grades 6–8 lunch $3.40 (from $3.25); grades 9–12 lunch $3.50 (from $3.35). The motion to approve the price changes was moved by Dr. Lauren Brown and seconded by Derek Allen and passed by voice vote.
District staff described the change as part of a multi-year plan to make a good-faith effort toward the federal target and to avoid audit findings. A staff member said, “It’s to keep our district in compliance and make sure that we don't find a finding in standard audits.” The board did not specify a timeline for future increases beyond the 2025–26 school year.
The board did not announce additional subsidies, programmatic changes or the number of affected students during the public discussion.