Wausau School District plans meal-price increases; committee backs continued membership in state nutrition purchasing cooperative

Karen Fox, the school district’s Nutrition Services Director, told the Education Operations Committee on May 20 that the district will increase student meal prices for the 2024–25 school year.

“We are going to be increasing meal pricing this school year,” Fox said, adding that the district met the USDA PLE tool’s weighted-average threshold and must raise breakfast prices as food prices and labor costs have climbed.

Fox said the USDA PLE tool required a weighted average of at least $2.70 across free, reduced and paid meals and that the district also used Wisconsin DPI adult meal-price guidelines. She told the committee food- and supply-price increases of roughly 30–40% in many categories, plus labor costs, have pushed the decision to raise prices.

The committee also considered whether to remain in a statewide purchasing cooperative. Fox said the Wausau School District has participated in the Wisconsin School Nutrition Purchasing Cooperative for about 10 years, that the cooperative includes roughly 59 school groups, and that membership provides group purchasing discounts and rebates. She said the district pays a $300 annual membership fee.

The committee moved to recommend that the full board continue the district’s membership in the cooperative and forward the 2024–25 cooperative agreement for approval; members voted in favor and the motion carried.

What happens next: The committee’s recommendation will go to the full Wausau School District board for final action. The district will apply its adopted pricing approach and continue to publish pricing guidance consistent with federal and state rules.