Fort Mill Schools hikes student meal prices and could raise sports fees, too
Families in the Fort Mill School District will pay higher prices for cafeteria meals next fall — and they could see increased sports fees, too.
The school board voted unanimously Tuesday to increase meal costs by less than a dollar for the first time in eight years.
Breakfast will increase by 50 cents — from $1.35 to $1.85. Elementary school lunches will increase by 75 cents — from $2.25 to $3. Middle and high school lunches will also increase by 75 cents — from $3 to $3.75. This will not affect students who receive free and reduced-price meals.
Higher prices will bring in more than $971,000 in projected revenue, according to Tammie Welch, the student nutrition director. That money would help cover an expected budget shortfall of $1.15 million from this school year, which resulted from missed in-person class days and capital improvements on kitchen equipment.
It would also help address the increase in food supplies and labor.
Fort Mill could increase fees for student athletes
The board discussed raising sports fees for the first time in more than a decade to pay coaches higher stipends.
The current $100 fee to participate in middle and high school sports would increase to $150 under the proposal. The fee would apply to each sport a high school student plays but only the first two sports for middle school students. Those prices are based on recommendations from school athletic directors.
Cori Hustedt, the director of student services, said other local districts are “coming after” Fort Mill coaches. Higher fees would go entirely to the coaching staff.
Hustedt analyzed publicly available stipend data from other districts in South Carolina and found Fort Mill trails the state average in every sport, with football and strength and conditioning presenting some of the largest pay gaps.
“This is not a money-making business for us. This is we’re trying to keep up with the quality athletics that our community demands of us and are able to keep our coaches,” Hustedt said.
Chief Financial Officer Leanne Lordo said coaches are funded through a combination of fees and the district general fund. Increasing the fees would bring in an additional $46,250 at the middle school level and $151,100 at the high school level.
The district would increase coaching stipends by about 25% under the proposal, Lordo said. Middle school stipend money would increase by $89,400 to $291,000, to be divided between 138 coaches. At the high school level, stipend money would increase by $201,150 to $876,750 across 234 coaches.
The district would still need to fund an extra $43,000 for middle school coaches and $50,000 for high school coaches.
The board is expected to vote on the fee during its June 3 meeting, Lordo said.
“Our coaches, and our athletic directors, and everyone involved in the sports are making a meaningful difference in the education of our students in one way or another,” said board Chairperson Kristy Spears.
This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
