Maricopa Unified raises student meal prices for FY27; board approves $1 breakfast, $4 lunch

The Maricopa Unified School District Governing Board voted May 13 to adjust student meal charges for fiscal year 2026-27, setting breakfast at $1.00 and lunch at $4.00.

Finance staff presented the food-service analysis and explained that rising labor and health-insurance costs, the end of COVID relief funding and reduced program surpluses made price adjustments necessary to sustain offerings. "We serve nearly 1,000,000 lunches and nearly 500,000 breakfasts annually," Mr. Harmon said, and noted prior COVID relief funding had kept prices low; with that funding ended the district faces the ‘‘true cost of this program." He showed options ranging from keeping breakfast free to charging up to $2.00 and described estimated impacts to the M&O fund.

Board members debated alternatives, including a staggered increase, the program's means-tested protections and how price changes might motivate families to complete free-and-reduced applications. Board member Caroline Lopez emphasized the district will not allow children to go hungry and asked about alternative meals for students with insufficient funds; Harmon said the district already provides an alternative meal and that free and reduced students will still receive meals at no charge.

A compromise motion to set breakfast at $1 and lunch at $4 was approved on a voice/roll-call motion; Harmon said that change will have a one-time estimated impact to the M&O fund of about $217,294 in FY27 and that the district would monitor food-service economics and revisit prices annually.

The board also discussed efforts to limit negative meal-account balances (Harmon said balances have recently fallen from about $7,300 to roughly $6,400) and noted the district will continue its summer lunch program under federal reimbursement.

The action concludes with the board asking staff to provide future updates and to consider staggered approaches if needed to minimize family hardship.