NewsWUSF — Tampa Bay NPR (Local & State)August 3, 2026Hillsborough
Florida school districts increase lunch prices amid declining enrollment in assistance programs
School districts across Florida are raising the price of student meals to address rising operational costs. Simultaneously, participation in free meal assistance programs has dropped by thousands of students.
Read the full story at WUSF — Tampa Bay NPR (Local & State)Why It Matters
Families face higher out-of-pocket costs for school meals while eligible students are increasingly missing out on available nutrition assistance programs.
Key Facts
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Who's Mentioned
personTom Edwards“Sarasota school board member”personIsabel Mascarenas“Pinellas County Schools spokesperson”personSara Dan“Sarasota district director of Food and Nutrition Services”personTanya Arja“Hillsborough County Schools spokesperson”personKyle Kennedy“Pasco County Schools spokesperson”personJamie Carson“Manatee County Schools spokesperson”personLiz Barker“Sarasota school board member”personNorin Dollard“Executive director of the Florida Policy Institute”locationFlorida“The state where school lunch price increases and enrollment declines are occurri”personKennedy Cole“Booker High student”organizationSarasota County School Board“Approved meal price increases”