OXFORD — Oxford Hills School District students will see a 5-cent increase in the cost of lunch and 10-cent increase in the cost of milk next fall.

According to school officials, the price of lunch will rise from $1.75 to $1.80 at the elementary schools, and from $2 to $2.05 for middle and high school students. Milk prices will go from 30 cents to 40 cents. There is no charge for a carton of milk if it is purchased with lunch.

The increases, which were approved by the Oxford Hills School District Board of Directors on April 23, are mandated by federal laws.

The program puts out about 3,100 meals to students each day. The cost is entirely paid from the sales of meals and the federally subsidized hot lunch program.

SAD 17 business manager Cathy Fanjoy-Coffey said the “interim rule” requires school food authorities participating in the national school lunch program to provide the same level of financial support for lunches served to students who are not eligible for free or reduced price lunches as is provided for lunches served to students eligible for free lunches.

This rule also requires that all food sold in a school and purchased with funds from the nonprofit school food service account, other than meals and supplements reimbursed by the Department of Agriculture, must generate revenue at least equal to the cost of such foods.

The intent of the law, she said, is to provide the same level of funding for paid lunches as is provided for free lunches

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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