Committee approves small hike in East Providence school lunch costs

EAST PROVIDENCE — Lunches in the district will cost slightly more starting in the fall after the school committee approved a 10 cent increase for the 2017-18 term at its meeting Monday night, March 20.

The need for the raise in costs was necessary to keep up with federal mandates issued by the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA), according to district controller Michael Hubert. The USDA average price of lunches will increase from $2.76 to $2.86 this fall.

Accordingly, the school committee approved a similar 10 cent increase for East Providence students. Lunches at the elementary level will raise from $2.60 to $2.70 in September and from $2.85 to $2.95 at the secondary level.

The increase is $18 per student for the entire term. If an East Providence pupil in elementary were to purchase lunch all 180 days of school, the cost would rise from $468 next year to $486. A secondary student who buys lunch each of the 180 days would see an increase from $513 to $531.

The committee voted 4-1 to support the increase with Ward 2 representative Tony Ferreira casting the only dissenting tally.

Mr. Hubert told the committee prior to the vote if prices for lunches remained the same, there would be a $17,000 shortfall on that line item in the district’s 2017-18 Fiscal Year budget.