FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Des Arc Public Schools
December 2025
Des Arc School Board Approves Free Lunches for All Students Beginning January 6, 2026
At the November School Board meeting, the Des Arc School Board voted to provide free lunches for all students in grades Pre-K through 12, beginning January 6, 2026. This initiative reflects the district’s continued commitment to supporting families and ensuring that every child has access to nutritious meals during the school day.
This program will be funded entirely by the district, as Des Arc Public Schools will not be reimbursed by the state for these meals. Because this investment represents a significant financial responsibility, the district will evaluate the program on a year-to-year basis.
In order to continue offering free lunches beyond this school year, the district must maintain at least a 70% free and reduced-meal eligibility rate. If the district falls below this threshold, it will no longer be financially feasible to continue offering free lunches without reimbursement. For this reason, we strongly encourage families to complete and submit the free and reduced-meal forms next year, even if they believe they may not qualify. Completed submissions are essential to helping us sustain this program.
Des Arc Public Schools is proud to be one of the only districts in the area choosing to fund student lunches locally. We recognize that in today’s economy, every dollar matters, and we are committed to doing what we can to support our families.
As we move forward, the district asks families with outstanding meal balances to please settle these accounts in the coming months. If you have a high balance or need assistance, please contact the school office—we are more than willing to work with you.
For questions regarding the free lunch program or meal balances, please contact:
Lana Leggett, Food Service Director, or Dr. Sherrell, Superintendent, at the Des Arc Public Schools district office.
Des Arc Public Schools
“Committed to Students. Committed to Families. Committed to Community.”