Pueblo schools unpaid lunch bills racking up

Pueblo City Schools officials are working to cover more than $18,000 in unpaid school lunch bills that already have been racking up since the beginning of the school year.

Nutrition services director Jill Kidd says much of the debt is a result of the district’s commitment to ensuring students are getting a healthy lunch every day, even if parents have not paid their bills.

District and school leaders are urging parents to bring their student’s lunch charges up-to-date.

The Pueblo Chieftain reports school lunch prices are $1.75 for elementary, $1.80 for middle school and $2 for high school students. Families who qualify for reduced prices pay 40 cents a meal.

Some schools in other states have been criticized for not feeding children who could not pay.