Clancy, Montana City schools set meal prices

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration put in place waivers giving all school children access to free breakfasts and lunches through the National School Lunch program. Now, with the height of the pandemic past, the FDA has mostly discontinued the waivers — and some area schools are scrambling.

Schools nationwide are returning to the guidelines that were in place before 2020: Children from families with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty level qualify for free meals; and those from families with incomes between 130% and 185% of the poverty level can get reduced-priced meals.

But in the meantime, food prices have increased. So the question is: How much should schools charge for those students who pay?