Research has long shown a connection between better student performance and the availability of meals at schools. Districts in Idaho don’t turn kids away from any meal - but last year the Boise School District had about $214,000 of debt from meals.
So far this school year, the debt balance has already reached $230,000. This spring, the Boise School District says it will try to find a way to pay for meals for all students.
Feeding every student in the district breakfast and lunch is estimated to cost about $5.6 million dollars for the school year. That includes the large number of workers the district would need to hire to make it happen.
District staff have been researching different scenarios, too: feeding just elementary school students, at a $2.7 million dollar cost, or offering just breakfast.
In a district board of trustees workshop on Friday, Jan. 26, trustees favored providing all meals at school for every student. But Board President Dave Wagers noted $5.6 million dollars is roughly 1.4% of the district budget - and that’s a big ask.
No decisions were made Friday, but trustees instructed staff to continue looking for ways to fit what they call universal feeding into the upcoming year’s budget, which will be presented and voted on in public meetings this coming June.
