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SLEEPY HOLLOW, N.Y. The price of lunch in the Union Free School District of Tarrytown has gone up this year by a quarter, and Assistant Superintendent for Business John Staiger said the price will continue to increase over the next four years.
Staiger said part of a 2010 federal law, nicknamed Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, has stipulated that the cost of a full-price lunch must be equal to the cost of the lunches subsidized by the federal government to help low-income kids.
What this means, Staiger said, is that lawmakers didn't want federal money to be used to offset the cost of the full-price lunch.
The reduced-price lunches cost the federal government $2.46. Thanks to the subsidy, students in the reduced-price program pay 25 cents.
Staiger said full-price lunch prices were set at $2 for sixth through 12th grade and $1.50 for kindergarten through fifth grade. This year the price of a full-price lunch is $2.25 for sixth through 12th grade and $1.75 for kindergarten through fifth grade.
Staiger noted that the school district was significantly below the free lunch price.
Staiger explained that the school district would be trying a gradual increase in the price of a school lunch. The increase would probably be a quarter each year, Staiger said.
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