The Waitsburg School District Board of Directors determined at their June 2026 board work session that, due to budget limitations, the school district will no longer be able to cover the cost of meals for Waitsburg Secondary School students for the upcoming school year. As a result, families of students in 7th-12th grade who do not qualify for the free/reduced program will be required to pay for school meals.
This change ONLY applies to students attending Waitsburg Secondary School (7th-12th grade). Meals at Waitsburg Elementary School (preschool-6th grade) will continue to be served at no charge to all students and families thanks to coverage and funding under Washington House Bill 1238: Meals for Washington Students.
Why is this happening now?
At the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, the district lost eligibility for funding that previously helped support free meals for students at the secondary level. At that time, the school board elected to cover the difference between the total costs of meals for all students and federal funding for students who qualify for free or reduced cost meals, allowing all students to continue receiving meals at no cost for the year. Based on the estimated costs for the next three years, however, continuing to cover these costs is no longer financially sustainable for the district, and the board made the difficult decision to return to charging families who are not funded through the federal free and reduced-cost meals program.
What are the next steps?
Information on meal prices, payment options, and applications for free/reduced meals through the Child Nutrition Eligibility & Education Benefit (CNEEB) application will be sent out to families prior to the start of the school year.
We recognize that changes like this can create added stress for families, and we do not make this decision lightly. Please direct questions to Food Services Director Stephanie Cole at 509-337-6461 or scole@waitsburgsd.org.