The West Central Valley School District will keep their meal prices the same after a federal pandemic policy was changed. 

The US Department of Agriculture recently announced that for the 2022-23 school year free lunches will no longer be available. Superintendent Rusty Shockley says the lunch prices for a student will remain at $2.95 and a breakfast will be $1.95. He points out that this will affect some of their students more than others.

“ I mean it’s going to impact a significant number of kids who aren’t eligible for free or reduced meals, I should say. Those students are all going to have to start paying. With the economic times, there’s hardships on a lot of families.”

Shockley adds that he wishes  this policy would continue through the rising inflation but he mentioned that the free lunch meal program had to end at some point.