Aberdeen School Board approves modest student meal-price increases amid food-service deficit

The Aberdeen School Board on July 14, 2025, approved new meal prices for the 2025–26 school year after the finance director described a projected food-service fund deficit and rising costs.

The board approved a 10-cent increase to student breakfast prices and a 15-cent increase to student lunch prices for 2025–26. The finance director described the change as an average increase of roughly 3.6 percent and said the adjustment equates to about 75 cents per week for student lunch under the district’s estimate used in the presentation.

Why it matters: the finance director, Miss Kayla Rogers, told the board the food-service fund is expected to run a deficit of about $97,000 without adjustments and that the district increased health-insurance contributions for food-service employees and gave food-service employees a 1 percent raise. Rogers said the district’s food-service fund balance was "just under $300,000" as an estimate but added she would confirm that number after checking the records.

Board members asked follow-up questions: a board member asked whether the federally reduced (reimbursed) meal rate had changed; Rogers said the reduced-price rate had not changed and noted federal guidance on rates had not been released (typically coming in August). Rogers and the superintendent also described participation trends: participation rose under pandemic-era universal meals and declined after that program ended.

The motion to adopt the meal prices was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote.

Ending: Board members and administration noted the district will continue monitoring participation and federal guidance on reimbursements and that no child is turned away without receiving a meal, the board said during discussion.