Liberty Public Schools to raise meal prices; parents and residents react to rising food costs

LIBERTY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

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Liberty Public Schools will raise meal prices for the 2026–2027 school year.

At the elementary level, lunch will cost $4. At the secondary level, lunch will cost $4.30.

Breakfast will cost $2.35 at the elementary level and $2.40 at the secondary level.

In an email to parents, the district said the increase is intended to “ensure that the district continues to provide high-quality meals while at the same time maintaining a financially sustainable program.”

In a statement, Liberty Public Schools said it had intentionally minimized meal price increases “over the past several years” as the district transitioned from the pandemic, but “adjustments are now necessary to help ensure its long-term sustainability.”

The Liberty Public Schools Board of Education approved the district’s meal price plan during its June meeting.

The changes take effect at the start of the school year.

The district encouraged families who may qualify to apply for free and reduced-price meal benefits each school year. Reduced-price meals will remain $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch.

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Calli Schlientz, who has two kids in Liberty schools, said the increase makes sense given broader economic pressures.

"Initially, my reaction was, 'That makes sense because our supply chain costs have gone up.' I expect our own grocery prices are going up, the school's grocery prices are also going up."

But for her family, the challenge goes beyond cost.

One of Schlientz's children has celiac disease, which limits school lunch options.

"The school lunch is the same every single day," Schlientz said.

She said her son's daily options are narrow — "Yogurt, a cheese stick and cereal," she said.

With grocery bills also climbing, Schlientz said the combined pressure is hard to absorb.

"Our grocery bill is going up with the cost of groceries, in addition to our school lunch costs going up," Schlientz said.

She said the price hike adds to financial strain many families are already feeling, but it goes beyond the school district.

Families who don't have kids in the school district are also feeling the pressure of higher food prices.

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Tammy Waldom, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri, said rising food costs are stretching household budgets thin.

"Food is way up. I mean, paying the bills, you know, leaves you with nothing," Waldom said.

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Alie Gillespie, who lives in Liberty, said sticker shock has become a familiar feeling.

"All of a sudden you're like, 'Wow, that costs a lot more than I thought it was going to,'" Gillespie said.

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