You’ve heard the saying “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”/ That might be a reality for school lunches this year.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly wants the Federal Government to keep paying for school lunches and has sent a letter to congress urging them to extend Child Nutrition Waivers. The Governor says food services Directors across Kansas have told her that when the waivers expire, it will cause significant disruptions to their operations and negatively impact students.
USD 290 Superintendent, Dr. Ryan Cobbs, sent an email to parents on June 9th stating that congress did not extend the Federal School Meal Waivers for 2022/23, which means meals will no longer be available to students free of charge. The letter outlined the cost each meal would now cost, per child, which can add up quickly. For instance, at Ottawa Middle and High School, breakfast will cost $1.80 and lunch, $3.00 Times that by 180 days of school and you have nearly $900/ per child for the year. Kelly says 40% of Kansas students are food insecure and with the supply chain issue in our country right now, it could become difficult to receive the supplies needed.
