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District reports nutrition-fund shortfall; staff proposes $0.25 per-meal increase in first read
Summary
Director of Nutrition told the board the nutrition fund fell from about $1,000,000 to $150,000 and unpaid fees since 2022 exceed roughly $500,000; staff presented a first read proposing a $0.25 per-meal increase and clarified refund and communication procedures for low/negative accounts.
Garden City Public Schools staff warned the board that the district's nutrition fund has dropped substantially and that unpaid fees are a mounting concern, prompting a first-read policy update that includes a recommended 25-cent-per-meal increase.
Tracy Johnson, the district’s director of nutrition, told the board that the nutrition fund began the year with slightly more than $1 million but stood at roughly $150,000 as of March 1. She said student meal sales last year were about $500,000 and that the district is carrying unpaid fees (lunch, textbooks, technology) in the neighborhood of more than $500,000 since the district wiped balances in 2022. The proposal under first read would implement a weighted-average price increase of $0.25 per meal across grade levels, update refund procedures and formalize communications triggered by account balances.
Johnson emphasized that the district does not cut off meals for students and that alternate meals and counseling supports are offered for students with negative balances. Board members asked how unpaid fees are pursued; Johnson said the district currently encourages payment plans, leverages secretaries to send statements, and restricts access to nonacademic activities (prom, certain field trips) in the high school when balances are large, but it does not send balances to collections because collection costs can outweigh recoveries.
Board members sought more precise dollar estimates for how much the price change or restored reduced/paid breakfasts would recover; staff said they would return with specific projections. The item was a first read and no vote was taken.
