Catoosa Public Schools questions state mandate to fund student lunches

District says plan would cost nearly $1.9 million annually without state support.

Monday, July 14th 2025, 7:09 am

By: Samantha Rupe

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CATOOSA, Okla. -

A new directive from State Superintendent Ryan Walters is drawing pushback from some Oklahoma school districts, including Catoosa Public Schools.

Walters is asking all districts to begin covering the cost of school lunches for every student, using funds from their existing budgets.

The superintendent’s lunch proposal

Superintendent Ryan Walters recently announced a plan requiring all public school districts to pay for student lunches using their current budgets. The goal, according to Walters, is to ensure every student receives free meals at school.

However, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) has not released formal guidance or a dedicated funding plan to help districts make the change.

Local district says cost is ‘unsustainable’

Catoosa Public Schools says the proposed mandate could cost the district nearly $2 million per year. Leaders say that kind of expenditure, without any additional state funding, would have a major impact on existing programs and services.

“Unfunded mandates of this magnitude place real strain on our ability to maintain classroom staffing, programs, and student services,” Robert Schornick, Superintendent of Catoosa Public School said in a statement. “While we support initiatives that reduce barriers for families, we must be mindful of the financial impact on our district’s long-term stability.”

Officials say a mandate of this scale cannot be implemented without a clear understanding of the fiscal impact and operational challenges it creates.

No word yet from OSDE

As of Monday, Catoosa Public Schools said it had not received any official guidance or financial support plan from the state. Without that clarity, district leaders say they cannot responsibly move forward with the plan.