Alaska school meal reimbursements rise 3.5% for 2026-27 school year

Alaska school districts will receive $6.98 per free lunch served under the National School Lunch Program in the coming school year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday, a 24-cent increase over the prior year's federal rate. The reimbursement runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

The increase reflects a 3.54 percent adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index for Food Away From Home, which rose from 381.228 in May 2025 to 394.728 in May 2026. Contiguous states receive $4.31 per free lunch. The $6.98 is the base federal rate before state supplements are applied.

Breakfast rates also rose. Severe-need schools will receive $4.90 per free breakfast, up 17 cents from $4.73, and other Alaska schools will receive $4.09, up 14 cents from $3.95. Districts meeting USDA nutrition standards remain eligible for an additional 9 cents per reimbursable lunch.

Alongside the reimbursement rates, Alaska DEED also published updated income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price meals for 2026-27. Under federal regulations, schools must notify the public of these eligibility criteria near the beginning of each school year, with notice provided to local news media, the unemployment office, and major employers considering large layoffs in the school's attendance area.

Alaska DEED's Child Nutrition Programs office in Juneau will post the new rates and eligibility guidelines at education.alaska.gov/cnp/nslp.