Breakfast and lunch prices increasing by 25 cents in Wake County Schools

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- For the fourth year in a row, the Wake County Public School System is raising the cost of meals.

The school board voted to raise both lunch and breakfast prices by 25 cents.

For a full day's meal, elementary school students will now pay $5.75 and middle and high school students will pay $6.25.

The price changes go into effect next school year.

Earlier this month, WCPSS Nutrition Services Senior Director Tiffany Lawrence told ABC11 that there are depleted funds and the District is in the red right now when it comes to providing school lunches.

"The challenge that we have in front of us right now is that our budget is looking in a way that is not able to sustain our program long term," said Lawrence. "Some of the things that have impacted this are increases in supply cost, changes in salary and benefit pause, and then also precipitation within our schools."

According to WCPSS, 36 percent of all students receive free or reduced lunch. Each day, the district says it serves a little more than 50,000 lunch meals.

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During the vote on Tuesday, some board members criticized the North Carolina General Assembly for not doing enough to help them.