School lunch debt piling up, local organizations looking to help

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - School lunch debt is piling up for districts and families in the state. So, some organizations here at home are getting together to try and relieve that heavy burden this holiday season.

According to the founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition Erika Wright and Oklahomans for Public Education, roughly $75,000 is needed to do the trick for the districts that reached out to them for help. Now, both organizations say they need the public and private businesses help to reach their goal.

“The average Oklahoman doesn't realize what a big issue this is for school districts,” Wright said.

Wright said as kids sit down for their daily meals, school districts are thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars in school lunch debt. Families feel that same burden, especially with universal free lunches ended after the pandemic.

"You are all feeling it,” Wright said. “When we go to the grocery store or to the gas pump. That is probably the vast majority of these unpaid lunch balances are simply just families who are trying to make ends meet."

According to the two organizations, Stillwater Public Schools is roughly $37,000 in school lunch debt. Clinton Public Schools are just over $20,000 and Vanoss Public Schools in Ada are almost at $10,000. Districts usually have to absorb that debt with their general fund.

"It prevents them from being able to do other things with that money,” Wright said.

Forms can be filled out for a student to get free lunches. However, Wright said districts are not seeing them come in because it’s voluntary.

A 2023 School Nutrition Association survey of over 1,200 districts found that an average elementary school breakfast and lunch runs almost $4.50 per day. Middle School and High School meals were higher than that.

Now, the hope is to alleviate the stress of affording that on both sides with money and even in the legislature.

"We are seeing some movement at the legislature for some bills to be coming up this session to address this issue,” Wright said.

A link for how people and businesses can donate and get involved can be found here.