Culver City : School Lunch Prices Rise

School lunches will cost more as of April 15 because the cafeterias are losing money, according to the Culver City school district.

The school board on Tuesday unanimously approved increasing elementary school lunches 15 cents to $1.50 and middle and high school lunches by a quarter, to $2. Breakfasts will no longer be served, because only 8% of the elementary and middle school students and 4% of the high school students buy breakfast at school. The board also proposed that the food service staff be cut.

The price increases and the discontinuation of the breakfast program will reduce the food service department deficit by $40,000 to $60,000, according to the district. But the cafeterias are still expected to lose from $60,000 to $80,000 this school year, because of salary and benefit costs, reduction in federal surplus commodities, and insufficient governmental subsidies for meals, the district said.