Oconee County Schools outlines nutrition fund shortfall, proposes modest student meal price increase

Dr. White, the district operations lead, told the board the nutrition enterprise fund is facing rising costs and a projected deficit and described operational steps the district will pursue to reduce losses. "We are proposing a quarter increase to both breakfast and lunch prices," he said, and also proposed switching from the current pizza product to regular pizza, shifting toward a "quick scratch" cooking model and seeking third-party partnerships to increase participation and revenue.

The nut graf: The administration attributed the shortfall to higher state health benefit premiums, increased employer costs for TRS, rising food and supply prices, and labor cost increases. Dr. White said those pressures mean the current meal-pricing and service model is no longer sustainable at present levels and that the nutrition task force recommended the changes.

Board members asked for comparative participation rates in neighboring districts and how reimbursement interacts with local pricing. Dr. White said the district has a "very low free and reduced lunch rate in Oconee County Schools," which reduces federal/state reimbursement relative to districts with higher free and reduced percentages, and he agreed to provide participation-rate comparisons on request. He also stated that "even with this adjustment, the nutrition program anticipates a $330,000 deficit for FY 2027, which is proposed to be supported by the General Fund." No formal pricing vote was recorded at the work session; the report and recommendations were presented for future action.

The board requested follow-up data on peer participation and reimbursement levels before making a final decision. The administration noted current and proposed meal-price tables are attached to the report for board review; the district will continue evaluating operations, menu choices and partnership options to strengthen the enterprise fund.