Lindbergh Schools Balance $60.8M Budget; Feds Raise Cost of Meals

While Lindbergh School District has balanced a $60.8 million budget without dipping into its reserves, a federal mandate means now parents must dig deeper into their wallets to pay for school meals.

Federal mandates of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act will raise the cost of school breakfasts by five cents and lunches by 10 cents. The cost for breakfast is 85 cents, elementary lunches cost $2.40, and middle and high school lunches now cost $2.55.

The final approval to a $60.8 million budget on Tuesday by the Board of Education capstones a nearly three year effort to rebound district finances back into the black that began in November 2009.

School officials credit voter approval of Proposition L in November 2010 with providing the revenue needed to stave off more than 80 layoffs in the district. The tax increase helped the district meet its projected $2.1 million increase in operating costs for the upcoming school year.

Patrick Lanane, the district's assistant superintendent of finance recognized the lean years.

“Every board of education has hurdles to overcome, and I think successfully handling the economic downturn will surely be one of the things this board will be remembered for,” Lanane said.

Beginning in 2008, the board combated $15 million in lost revenue through nearly $7 million in budget cuts, and spending the district's cash reserves. The budget cuts included the elimination of 60 teaching, staff and administrative positions in 2010.

“We are thankful to our community for supporting Lindbergh as we have walked this difficult journey toward a balanced budget,” said Dr. Vic Lenz, Board of Education president.

“With the passage of Prop L in November, we look forward to maintaining financial health and continuing to exercise financial responsibility for years to come,” Lenz said. Lenz was recently elected president of a statewide group of school board leaders that lobbies for state legislation to fund public education.

The school meals price hike is part of Federal legislation that stems from a need to balance the revenue for free and reduced lunches with those paid for in full, by students. In particular, the district must collect equal amounts of revenue from student meals as it gets reimbursed from the Feds for subsidized meals.

The jump in meal price also ensures that Chartwells, the company that manages the district’s meal programs, remains self-sustaining and operates at no cost to the district, school officials said.

The act also raises nutritional standards with the promise of six cents in additional reimbursement to offset the cost of healthier foods.

“The good news at Lindbergh is that we are already at or very close to meeting the new standards, and we have already absorbed most of the costs for healthier ingredients,” Lanane said. “No date has been set as to when the increased reimbursement will become effective, but Lindbergh will be fully compliant.”