Katy ISD to Increase School Meal Prices this Academic Year
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KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 8, 2026
By Natalie Cook Clark
It’s been over a decade since Katy ISD has changed prices to their breakfast and lunch offerings during the academic year. To continue to cope with less government funding and inflation the District will increase prices this year, but families in need still have ways to address hardships.
The Katy ISD Board of Trustees approved a price increase to school breakfast and lunches for the 2026-2027 academic year in a 4-3 split. Here’s what Katy families need to know to prepare and how to apply if you need assistance.
The Board of the Trustees met on June 15th is a work study meeting where Dagmara Gujda, associate director of compliance, nutrition and food service informed that the District’s child nutrition fund balance lost $8.4 million during last year due to significant shifts in both expenditures and revenue.
“Of course, the Board doesn’t like having to approve price increases for anything—especially student meals,” says Board of Trustee Dawn Champagne. “There is some good news thought! We have 33 campuses that qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP,) which means every student at those campuses receives free breakfast and lunch, regardless of family income.”
These CEP Campuses Include:
Bear Creek Elementary
Bethke Elementary
Cimarron Elementary
Faldyn Elementary
Franz Elementary
Golbow Elementary
Hayes Elementary
Hutsell Elementary
King Elementary
Leonard Elementary
Mayde Creek Elementary
Memorial Parkway Elementary
McRoberts Elementary
Morton Ranch Elementary
Rhoads Elementary
Schmalz Elementary
Stephens Elementary
Sundown Elementary
West Memorial Elementary
Winborn Elementary
Wolfe Elementary
Youngblood Elementary
Cardiff Junior High
Katy Junior High
Haskett Junior High
Mayde Creek Junior High
Memorial Parkway Junior High
McDonald Junior High
Morton Ranch Junior High
West Memorial Junior High
“If your child doesn’t attend one of these CEP campuses and you believe your family may qualify for free or reduce-price meals, I encourage you to submit an application,” says Champagne.
Several sources, including the loss of two federal grants, resulted in a 21% increase in food prices over the last five years.
Gujda stresses that federal funding does not cover core operating costs, which is why student meal pricing has become “essential” in making up for expenditures and ensuring a balanced funding system.
The increase is small. Breakfast for both primary and secondary school will go from $1.25 to $1.50. Primary school lunch will go from $2.25 to $2.75 and secondary lunch will go from $2.75 to $3.35.
Katy ISD offers Free and Reduces Lunch for eligible families. Applications are now open for the new academic year. Learn more information on this program and how to apply online.
Katy ISD is also offering Fee Summer meals for all Katy area students under 18. Learn more on this here.
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