Broward school district to end universal free lunches, raise lunch prices
At Tuesday's meeting, the school board was informed that the surplus of federal funds that had been used to offer free lunch throughout the district for the past school year was finally depleted.
For some Broward students, next school year will be the first time in several years that they will have to pay for lunch.
In response to the pandemic, the federal government provided waivers for schools to offer universal free lunch, which expired in 2022. Some Broward schools continued to provide free lunches through the Community Eligibility Program, a nationally funded program for schools where 40% of the student population qualified for free or reduced meals, the Sun Sentinel reported in 2023. Dozens of Broward schools did not qualify for CEP, so for the 2023-2024 school year, the Food and Nutrition Services department applied for a federal U.S. Department of Agriculture pilot program to provide the remaining schools with free lunch. Broward's universal free lunch continued into the current school year.
Mary Mulder, the Food and Nutrition Services executive director, told the school board at Tuesday's meeting that the department had continued with the free lunch program in order to deplete a surplus of funds 'from the COVID years.' Federal rules from the USDA limit the amount of funds the district's nutrition program can have on hand.
It costs about $9 million to provide free school lunch each year.
Hepburn explained that over the past few years, the district 'utilized the strategy of feeding all students to deplete [the fund balance] back to the levels that are appropriate based on the federal government.'
Not only will universal free lunch end for the next school year, the price of lunch will also increase by $1.
School board members voted to increase school lunch prices during Tuesday's meeting. Each meal is now $3 for elementary schools, $3.35 for middle schools and $3.50 for high schools.
According to a school district memo, lunch prices have not increased in 12 years. Food and Nutrition Services runs a self-operating budget within the school district and does not receive money from the district's general fund. The cost of food, equipment, supplies and labor has increased, Mulder said.
Parents will be able to fill out paperwork to apply for free or reduced price lunch starting July 14 at www.myschoolapps.com. Breakfast will remain free for all students.
'It's so vitally important that we have these robust conversations now so there's no confusion as far as parents that need to fill out the paperwork,' said school board member Lori Alhadeff.
School board member Rebecca Thompson showed interest in expanding free universal lunch and encouraged the board to discuss it further. School board members said they would discuss the idea in a future workshop.
'The economic situation of our state is not going to get any better and if there is a way that we can explore this and help families then we should do that,' Thompson said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
America's Largest Homebuilder Issues Florida Warning
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. D.R. Horton, the largest homebuilder in the U.S., has observed persistent weakness in the Florida housing market. "There's been a lot of a change in the dynamic in the Florida markets. And perhaps most so there," Chief Operating Officer Michael Murray said during an earnings call last week. "Other markets continue to be consistent performers where there's been limited inventory and limited development of lots. And housing production continues to see strong demand in those markets." This followed the company reporting a 10 percent year-over-year drop in net sales for its Southeast division in the third quarter. Newsweek has contacted D.R. Horton via email for comment. Why It Matters With nearly nation-leading price drops, slowing sales and surging inventories, significant cracks have emerged in the Florida housing market this year. While many of these are issues facing the broader U.S. housing market, the Sunshine State has been pointed to as a particular area of concern, with one expert recently describing South Florida as the "epicenter of housing market weakness in the United States." Homes in a neighborhood in Pembroke Pines, Florida, on January 26, 2023. Homes in a neighborhood in Pembroke Pines, Florida, on January 26, To Know Florida saw a huge influx of new residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming the top destination between January and June 2020 according to moving company However, the state is now struggling with weak sales, ballooning inventory and a decline in home prices driven by the slowing demand. According to real estate brokerage Redfin, Florida home prices fell by 2.2 percent year-over-year in June to a median price of $410,400. This is despite nationwide home prices rising by 1.0 percent over the same period. Additionally, the number of sold homes dropped 3.2 percent, while the median number of days on the market increased to 70 from 57. Recent data from John Burns Research and Consulting (JBREC) found that Fort Myers, Lakeland, Naples, Jacksonville, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach were areas that had experienced significantly weaker sales and declining prices as sellers struggle to get their homes off the market. As well as economic concerns harbored by many Americans, the growing nationwide imbalance between sellers and buyers, and the decline in house prices facing many markets, have been attributed to high mortgage rates. As a result, some believe that should rates drop to 6 percent, an additional 5.5 million households would be able to get on the property ladder. One expert told Newsweek that this could prove a "magic mortgage number that will push Americans to buy." What People Are Saying Chen Zhao, head of economics research at Redfin, told Bloomberg in June: "South Florida is the epicenter of housing market weakness in the United States. The question for the rest of the country is, will this spread? Florida is uniquely bad right now." Real estate expert and 2025 Florida Realtors President Tim Weisheyer told Newsweek this month: "Florida's single-family home market is adjusting to a new normal. Elevated mortgage rates have made some buyers more cautious, and the surge of domestic in-migration we saw during the pandemic is leveling off." What Happens Next According to Redfin's forecasts, nationwide home prices are expected to decline by 1 percent by the end of the year compared to 2024. It anticipates that mortgage rates remaining largely unchanged at about 6.8 percent.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
3 Unstoppable Ultra-High-Yield Stocks to Buy Right Now for Less Than $500
Key Points LTC Properties is offering a 6.4% dividend yield. Omega Healthcare sports a 6.9% yield. Universal Health Realty has a 7.1% yield. 10 stocks we like better than Omega Healthcare Investors › The S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has a miserly dividend yield of just 1.2% today. The average healthcare stock has a yield of just under 1.8%. But what if you could get yields from healthcare stocks that were three to nearly four times higher? You can! Here are three healthcare landlords that have paid reliably and have huge yields, and you can get several shares for less than $500. Surviving the pandemic in one piece When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, nursing homes and senior housing properties got slammed. It makes sense; COVID spread easily in group settings and was particularly deadly for older adults. Occupancy levels fell, move-ins stalled, and move-outs (which include deaths) rose. It was a brutal time for senior housing landlords, with some of the largest and most respected healthcare real estate investment trusts (REITs) cutting their dividends, including Ventas (NYSE: VTR) and Welltower (NYSE: WELL). However, not all senior housing REITs went the dividend-cut route. LTC Properties (NYSE: LTC) and Omega Healthcare Investors (NYSE: OHI) held their dividends steady. Both have worked with their tenants, including exiting troubled relationships and bringing on new operators. LTC Properties has notably started to include senior housing operating assets (also known as SHOP) in its mix, which means it owns and operates the assets. Of course, each tenant has its own needs, so there were a lot of moving parts, and there's no one-size-fits-all description of what these REITs did. However, the outcome was that they continued to pay their dividends just like they had before the pandemic. Now that the world has learned to live with COVID, these two REITs are set to benefit from serving the housing needs of the oldest people. The demographic future is set to see the ranks of the oldest cohort rise materially in the years ahead. These groups are the ones that need the most assistance with their day-to-day needs. With exposure from nursing homes and well-living, Omega and LTC are worth a close look for high-yield investors today. Their yields are 6.9% and 6.4%, respectively, as I write this. A steadily growing dividend Just holding the line during the pandemic might not be enough for some investors. So, how about a healthcare REIT that has increased its dividend annually for 40 consecutive years? That's exactly the record that Universal Health Realty Trust (NYSE: UHT) has achieved to go along with its ultra-high 7.1% dividend yield. Unlike Omega and LTC Properties, Universal Health Realty's portfolio is focused on medical office properties. There are two caveats here, however. The company's largest tenant is Universal Health Services (NYSE: UHS), which also happens to be the company that manages the REIT. So, it is a controlled entity, and investors would be right to wonder if the decisions being made about the REIT are being made for the benefit of investors or for the benefit of the manager. However, given the reliable dividend growth, it seems like investors are quite important here. That said, dividend growth has historically averaged around 1.5% a year. That's not a particularly large number, which might dissuade dividend growth investors from buying the REIT. But, given the lofty yield, if you are looking to generate as much income as possible today, Universal Health Realty's slow and steady growth might not bother you all that much. Keeping the checks flowing If there's one thing that a dividend investor absolutely hates to see, it is a dividend cut. Despite terrible headwinds, LTC Properties and Omega both avoided doing that, and now they look ready to benefit from an aging population. You can buy around 13 or so shares of either one with $500, or some combination of the two. Universal Health Realty's dividend grew right through the difficult pandemic period, albeit slowly, which many dividend investors will probably find even more appealing. A $500 investment will net you around 12 shares of Universal Health Realty Trust. Do the experts think Omega Healthcare Investors is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did Omega Healthcare Investors make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,041% vs. just 183% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 858.71%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Unstoppable Ultra-High-Yield Stocks to Buy Right Now for Less Than $500 was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Trump Withdraws Nomination for VA Role
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump has withdrawn his nomination for a key position in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). According to the U.S. Congress' website, Trump nominated Ryan Cote for the role of assistant secretary of veteran affairs for information and technology on June 30. However, he withdrew the nomination on July 17. The administration did not indicate why the president withdrew the nomination or whom he might nominate instead. Newsweek contacted the White House by email and Cote by LinkedIn for comment outside normal business hours. Why It Matters Since assuming office in January, Trump has made a flurry of appointments, picking members of his Cabinet and filling roles in government departments. The VA is the second-largest U.S. government department after the Department of Defense. It employs about 470,000 people, and the role of VA assistant secretary and chief information officer is significant as it has a large scope. President Donald Trump after reaching a trade deal with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Scotland on July 27. President Donald Trump after reaching a trade deal with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Scotland on July 27. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin What To Know According to the VA, the assistant secretary manages a budget of more than $7 billion and oversees a team of some 16,000 federal employees and contracts. Meanwhile, according to federal technology news outlet Nextgov/FCW, challenges for whomever holds the role next include improving cybersecurity in the VA and consolidating benefits for veterans into a single digital platform. The department is also in the process of modernizing its electronic health records system. In its budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, the Trump administration called for a 4 percent discretionary spending increase at the VA, largely targeting improvements to medical care and records technology. A Senate vote is required to confirm a nominee in the role. Cote previously served in the first Trump administration as the IT chief at the Department of Transportation, where he helped the agency use technology to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Nextgov/FCW. He has also held IT roles in the private sector, including at HP, Northrop Grumman and IBM. Before that, he served in the U.S. Marines. On his LinkedIn profile, he described himself as a "senior level IT Executive with 30+years of achievement delivering IT-empowered business solutions that drive growth and efficiency for high-performing companies, including an accomplished background serving Federal Government, Fortune 100 and small to mid-size businesses." Kurt DelBene, who left the VA in January, previously held the assistant secretary and chief information officer role. Since then, Eddie Pool, the VA's deputy CIO for connectivity and collaboration services, has assumed the role on an interim basis. What Happens Next Trump's next nominee for the role remains to be seen.
