Morgan County Schools students will pay 10 cents more for their lunches next school year while the price for breakfast will remain the same at $1.00.

The increase will also apply to adult lunch prices.

The decision was reached at a school board work session on Thursday following the recommendation of Mary Beth Henry, child nutrition director.

Henry told the board that U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines mandate a minimum ten-cent increase, the same as in 2012-2013.

“If we stay with the minimum, we can expect a ten cent increase in future years until the price reaches $2.70,” she said. “But that could change since USDA calculate what the minimum price is going to be each year.”

She added that Hartselle and Decatur school systems raised the student lunch price by a quarter last school year and were not affected by the new USDA guidelines.

Henry also recommended that the board refer school lunch price issues to the policy committee with the idea of establishing a policy that would automatically keep lunch prices within USDA guidelines.