As of Thursday, August 2, 2012
© Copyright 2013
Rockdale Citizen
CONYERS -- Some Rockdale County students are paying a little more for meals this school year.
Rockdale County Public School's nutrition department was forced by a mandate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase meal prices for the current school year.
Meal prices have increased by 15 cents at the elementary school level this year, from $1.75 to $1.90. Last school year, the mandate also forced RCPS to increase its meal prices, so the middle school prices were upped by 15 cents to align them with the high school level.
No other level is expected to increase this school year, but the mandate could require more increases in the future.
The mandate, called Equity in School Lunch Pricing, requires that systems increase rates to be more in line with the federal reimbursement for free and reduced lunches, which is $2.46.
This year's increase, which was approved by the Rockdale County Board of Education earlier this year, could bring in about $42,000 in additional revenue to the school nutrition fund, which is self-supporting and not supported through the RCPS general fund.
Unfortunately, increased prices could bring participation down, Peggy Lawrence, director of School Food Services at RCPS, has said.
Additionally, the department is seeing cuts from the state and increases in food prices and health insurance premiums.
This school year, the department plans to operate on a more than $9.6 million budget, about $400,000 more than last school year's budget.
In a report to the school board earlier this year, Lawrence said increased health insurance premiums added $225,000 to expenses. Additionally, purchased food costs are expected to increase by 9 percent compared to last school year due to rising food prices and the changes in the meal pattern requiring more fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
She reported that lunch participation by students has reached an all-time high, increasing nearly 1 percent to 81.6 percent, as of the end of the last school year. Breakfast participation is up about 3 percent to more than 40 percent.
Also, participation in the free and reduced price meals program increased 1 percent to 64 percent, and state funds have continued to decrease, Lawrence reported to the board.
Over the summer, the school food services department renovated the serving line at Rockdale Career Academy to improve serving times. At Flat Shoals Elementary School, a serving line was added and another was renovated to improve service time by 30 minutes and allow both lines to provide all lunch choices.
More like this story
- Middle school meal prices may increase ( May 17, 2011 )
- Student lunch prices to increase next school year ( June 6, 2013 )
- RCPS plans to increase meal prices next year ( May 30, 2009 )
- RCPS Food Services faces tight budget ( June 30, 2011 )
- School food won't cost more ( June 28, 2010 )
Comments
MsKito 10 months, 3 weeks ago
"Some Rockdale County students are paying a little more for meals this school year." Yeah, very few of them. The vast majority are on the free breakfast/lunch program.
VPublicola 10 months, 3 weeks ago
When those that can't pay and those that can but falsify their applications so their children can eat free then those that can pay must carry a larger part of the burden. This is why I have and will continue to make my children's lunch.
Elmo 10 months, 3 weeks ago
The shameful dependence of parents who sit back and rely on others (taxpayers) to raise their children for them is pathetic.
While reality states that some really need, and deserve, a hand up in hard times, a responsible parent will find a way to support their children, even if it means selling that 53-inch flat screen, or those 21-inch chrome wheels.
The words "new", and "FREE", are the two most powerful words in marketing, and will always invoke a response for many people. But there are many who have confused "procreation" with "recreation", and then expect others to pay for their deeds.
Pride takes many forms, but the kind of pride that counts is the kind exercised when no one else is looking. A parent should be willing to do what it takes to pay for their childrens' raising. Working a 2nd, or even a 3rd job to buy clothing, food, school supplies/lunches should be priority one for any parent worth their salt.
Even in the most difficult times, I did what it took to care for my children. It's hard, but it's doable, and there is a whole lotta pride waiting at the end. And, it provides an even more valuable prize by providing a role model to children who learn that pride and self-respect comes through self subsistence, not government subsidies,
So often we hear about the "low self esteem" of criminals, but the cause is firmly ensconced in watching supposed role models who "work the system" instead of their own abilities. Those who turn a "hand" into a cradle-to-grave "handOUT" and then have the audacity to act out when something threatens that free stipend.
Somebody's gotta pay, nothing is free. Pure and unadulterated greed drives those who scam the system so the don't have to pay, or work. The biggest pity of it is, children learn what they live, and the scam is perpetuated for future generations, or at least until the golden goose is out of eggs.
johndoemo_ 10 months, 3 weeks ago
I will say again that it isnt the job of the government to feed kids. This is another service that needs to be reformed.
callmecrazy 10 months, 3 weeks ago
What folks don't know is that cafeterias in schools are self supporting. There are so many students on free/reduced lunch that they have no choice but to raise the price for others. How else would they make money??
Elmo 10 months, 3 weeks ago
Not seeing that your kids have food sounds like parental child neglect and abuse to me.
This "I'll have them and the village can raise them" mess has got to cease.
Rockdalemom 10 months, 3 weeks ago
I will just keep making my sons lunch for school.
Frustrated 10 months, 3 weeks ago
Why not require the parents of kids receiving the free meals to submit finance records or at least sign a consent so someone can inviestigate and verify they qualify? Shouldnt be too hard to furnish W2's or check against the county DFCS records.
heresyafacts 10 months, 3 weeks ago
Good lord, next you'll be asking that people show photo IDs when they vote!
VPublicola 10 months, 2 weeks ago
They do fill out a form so maybe some of our new school Board members can encourage the administration to do a thorough review of these records with cross-verification and thereby eliminate the freeloaders. Then, once complete, can send these freeloaders a bill to recover the fraud perpetrated on the taxpayers.
EarlyBird 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Someone in the front office must get serious about giving the boot to illegals - must be hundreds. This is not a sanctuary city.
ClaytonBigsby 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Believe it or not, I'm told that the BOE is not ALLOWED to audit or check eligibility except for some ridiculously low percentage of applicants. Sickening, isn't it?
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