Every student in the Fort Mill School District can now eat breakfast at school for free, regardless of family income.
Superintendent Grey Young's district announced the change Monday, Sept. 21, in a message to parents and staff, as first reported by YocoNews. A funding allocation approved by South Carolina legislators is covering the cost, the district said, though it did not name the specific legislation or dollar amount.
Until this school year, households that did not qualify for free or reduced-price meals under federal income guidelines paid $1.90 per breakfast. The district enrolled 18,444 students in the 2024-25 school year, the most recent figure on its enrollment page.
No application or payment is required. Students pick up breakfast when they arrive at school.
Each meal includes an entrée, fresh fruit and a choice of milk. The district listed chicken biscuits, French toast sticks, smoothies, parfaits and whole grain loaf slices among the menu options. All meals meet U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition standards, the district said.
The Fort Mill School Board voted May 19 to raise meal prices by five cents for the 2026-27 school year. That increase covered cost-of-living salary raises in the Student Nutrition Department, which operates on its own budget separate from the district's general fund, according to WRHI. The new state funding now covers breakfast entirely.
Gov. Henry McMaster first proposed free school breakfast statewide in his Jan. 12 executive budget, according to South Carolina Public Radio. State lawmakers passed the 2026-27 budget in August after South Carolina operated under a continuing resolution since July 1. McMaster announced 14 vetoes to the budget on Aug. 17, according to WIS TV.
The district said breakfast helps students focus and succeed in the classroom.
Families can view school-specific breakfast menus on the Fort Mill School District Student Nutrition website. Menus are posted separately for elementary, middle and high schools.
