Free and reduced-price school lunch

Question: Just wondering why "reduced lunches" never seem to increase in price, but yet the normal lunch cost for students increases every year by at least 10 cents? What exactly is the purpose for reduced lunches anyhow? I would imagine that most, if not all, eligible for reduced (or free?!) lunches qualify for food stamps - so why not force the parents to take the time to prepare their children's lunches at least several times per week? I would like to see "reduced lunches" minimized to a certain number of eligible lunches during the school year, perhaps 50-60 total lunches. Maybe the cost of lunches for those that pay full price could be reduced if there weren't so many getting it reduced on a daily basis. Seems that those who work hard for their money never catch a break, whereas those that get help are always getting something for free!

Answer: The first thing you should know is that the free and reduced-price school meals program is a federal program, so a lot of the ideas you have regarding change can't be addressed by the district under the current legislation.

For the 2010-11 school year, the cost of our regular lunch is $2 in the elementary schools and $2.35 in the middle and high school. When we increase the prices of our school meals, it's because the cost of food went up.