District 25 food service fees and budgets increases for next year

Lunch and breakfast will cost a little more next school year for schools in Pocatello/Chubbuck District 25, but the district will also be working with a bigger budget. These increases became official after the district’s school board approved them at its meeting Tuesday.

The food service fee increases are as follows: full paid elementary and secondary lunches will be increased by 25 cents, bringing those fees to $2.55 and $2.80 respectively. The full paid breakfast fee will increase by 15 cents, which makes it $1.90.

Bart Reed, District 25’s director of business operations, said the increases are to help the district break even with its food service program.

“We try to pass on as small of an increase as we can,” Reed said. “While at the same time knowing we have to keep a viable program going.”

With Idaho’s 2016 legislature approving a 7.4 percent increase in funding for K-12, several million dollars more will be coming into the district’s general fund — bringing it to 2009 funding levels. The general fund accounts for nearly 72 percent of the overall budget.

Funding for the career ladder has also helped bring more dollars to the district.

Reed said the district is smiling, but it’s not grinning ear-to-ear. Mainly because 2009 funding can only go so far for 2017 needs.

“We’re happy we’re seeing an increase in our funding overall, but we are still struggling to balance the budget from year-to-year. (It’s difficult) to make ends meet for educational purposes,” Reed said.

Reed admits if it weren’t for the community passing supplemental levies over the decades the district would be in worse shape.

Last month we reported District 25 was in trouble about getting new textbooks. The main funding source for them is still in question, however, Tuesday’s meeting showed there is wiggle room to buy some for the next school year.