Students will now pay $1.55 for their lunch, instead of the $1.35 they paid last year. The 13.5 percent increase in school lunch prices does not match what the district says is a 22 percent jump in food costs.

Emily Messerli's son is one of the 87 percent of California students who eat lunch at school. Messerli says her son enjoys the school lunch's variety, but was not shocked to hear of the increase.

"The way everything was going, it really wasn't a surprise," she said.

School officials say the higher price will likely not hurt low-income families too much, because 42 percent of sutdents could receive free or reduced-price meals. The district may receive a partial reimbursement from the government to help with food costs.

To compare school lunch prices in districts around California, click on the link on the left side of the page. Jefferson City Public Schools also recently announced it will raise prices for the coming school year.