Virginia Beach City Public Schools is looking to reduce about $350,000 in unpaid student meal debt as school leaders say families are facing financial pressures from rising costs.
District 7 School Board member Matt Cummings said the debt reflects some of the financial challenges families are experiencing, from higher grocery prices to increased costs at the gas pump.
“The last thing on their mind is probably, like, how do I pay for this bill or how do I pay for that when there’s all these other priorities,” Cummings said.
Cummings said there are several reasons student meal debt can accumulate. In some cases, parents may allow balances to grow, while other families may encounter confusion about meal costs when transferring between schools…