Southington School Officials Raise School Meal Prices

SOUTHINGTON, CT — With government grant funding running out in Southington, school officials announce that pupils will have to pay for lunch and breakfast again starting Tuesday, Dec. 6.

And following the Southington Board of Education's actions at their last meeting a month ago, those prices will be higher — as in about 7 percent higher.

The school board voted unanimously Nov. 10 to increase school lunch and breakfast prices by 25 cents.

This, according to Southington Board of Education Finance Committee Chairman James L. Chrzanowski, is necessary to keep up with the financial times.

He said the committee reviewed school lunch program revenue sources and the 25 cent hike was deemed necessary "due to current inflation levels and high-contract labor rates."

"We will be monitoring those closely," Chrzanowski said.

Southington's situation is one being felt by school district's statewide as federal and state grant dollars that funded free meals for all public school students, a byproduct of pandemic-related relief funding, has now run its course.

Southington's current meal prices, for example, are $3.25 for elementary school lunch, $3.50 at the middle school and $3.75 at the high school.

Breakfast offerings are also going up, with elementary and middle school breakfast now $2.25 and high school breakfast $2.50.

For those who qualify, free and/or reduced-price lunches are available and school officials encourage anyone who thinks they may qualify to apply.

Those forms are readily available on the Southington School System's website.

For more information on Southington Public Schools' food service program and meal prices, click on this link.

To apply for free or reduced meal prices, click on this link.

For the minutes of the Nov. 10 Southington Board of Education meeting, click on this link.