1 Weighted Average Price Requirement for SY 2026-27
Under 7 CFR 210.14(e), an SFA whose weighted average paid lunch price is below the target must raise it, add non-Federal revenue to the nonprofit school food service account, or both. The requirement is last year's unrounded requirement plus a 2% rate increase plus the Consumer Price Index (3.85%), capped at the $4.16 target.
Printed as the header of the Report:
Found in Section 1, Block A of the PLE Report from SY 2025-26, or from the Annual Unrounded Requirement Finder below. If SY 2025-26's value is not known, use the most recent year's.
Kept unrounded behind the scenes (); the Report passes it to next year's tool.
Year-specific constants for SY 2026-27 (change only when USDA publishes new ones)
SY 2026-27: $4.16 (SP 06-2026).
2% each year, per the Guidance.
SY 2026-27: 3.85%.
The 10 cents cap, 7 CFR 210.14(e).
2 Annual Unrounded Requirement Finder (optional)
Only needed when the SY 2025-26 unrounded requirement is not known. Starting from the SFA's weighted average price for SY 2010-11, each year is grown by that year's rate, capped at that year's target and rounded to the cent. The SY 2025-26 result goes into step 1.
The weighted average price of all paid lunches charged in the SFA for SY 2010-11. If it is not known, use the SY 10-11 Price Calculator below.
SY 10-11 Price Calculator (optional)
Enter the number of paid lunches sold in October 2010 with their associated prices.
#
Number of Paid Lunches
Paid Lunch Price
Monthly Revenue
Total
Revenue divided by lunches, rounded to the cent.
3 Choose a method to meet the requirement
Pick the method the SFA will use. Only that method's calculator is shown below, and the choice is carried into the Report. An SFA that had a positive or zero balance in its nonprofit school food service account on June 30, 2025 is exempt for SY 2026-27 (2026 Appropriations Act); keeping the Report is still recommended.
These are the Report's drop-down choices, word for word. Use "At or Above Equity" when step 1 says so, and the exemption option for an SFA that qualifies.
4 Method 1: Price Raise Calculator
This calculator is only used with Method 1. Choose it in step 3 to fill it in.
Raise the weighted average price of paid lunches. The price is based on the requirement rounded down to the nearest 5 cents, with the required increase limited to 10 cents.
SY 2025-26 Weighted Average Price Calculator
Enter the paid prices and number of paid lunches sold at each price for October 2025. Include every school: elementary, middle and high.
#
Number of Paid Lunches
Paid Lunch Prices
Monthly Revenue
Total
Rounded to the cent. If it is at or above the target, the SFA is compliant for SY 2026-27.
Shortfall or Credit
Shortfall is entered as a negative number, credit as a positive number. Take it from last year’s Report, Section 2: Block A is a shortfall (enter -0.04 for $0.04), Block B is a credit (enter 0.50 for $0.50). Leave blank if there is none.
Overview of the Calculations
Workbook cell A29: the gap to the rounded requirement, plus any shortfall carried in; a credit carried in reduces it. Not floored at zero.
Workbook cell A31: this year’s price to establish, and the figure the Report compares your price against.
Workbook cell A33. For awareness only.
Workbook cell A35: zero or a negative number. The credit carried forward is Block B of the Report.
Not a workbook line: the size of the figure above, without the minus sign.
Pricing Estimation Calculator (optional)
Try price combinations until the weighted average reaches the required weighted average price above. Enter the number of paid lunches expected for one month with the prices you are considering.
#
Number of Paid Lunches
Paid Lunch Prices
Monthly Revenue
Total
Not rounded, as in the workbook.
5 Method 2: Non-Federal Calculator
This calculator is only used with Method 2. Choose it in step 3 to fill it in.
Contribute revenue from non-Federal sources to the nonprofit school food service account instead of raising prices. The amount is the price gap times the paid lunches served in SY 2024-25 (SY 2025-26 is not final yet), limited to the 10 cents cap.
Step 1: Weighted Average Price for SY 2025-26
If known, enter it. If left blank, the price calculated from the October 2025 rows below is used (the workbook links this cell to it). Currently using .
Optional: SY 2025-26 Weighted Average Price Calculator. Enter the number of paid lunches from October 2025 with their prices, including all schools.
#
Number of Paid Lunches
Paid Lunch Price
Monthly Revenue
Total
Rounded to the cent.
Step 2: Annual paid lunches
The total paid lunch count for all prices. SY 2024-25 is used because SY 2025-26 is not final yet.
Workbook cell B32. Not below zero; the carry-forward is not part of it.
Workbook cell C32: annual paid lunches times the increase.
Step 3: Shortfall or Credit
Shortfall is entered as a negative number, credit as a positive number. Take it from last year’s Report: Block D is a shortfall (enter -600.00 for $600.00), Block E is a credit (enter 500.00 for $500.00). Leave blank if there is none.
Workbook cell B36.
Overview of the Calculations
Workbook cell A39.
Workbook cell A41: the figure the Report compares your contribution against.
Workbook cell A43. For awareness only.
Workbook cell A45.
6 Method 3: Split Calculator
This calculator is only used with Method 3. Choose it in step 3 to fill it in.
Combine Methods 1 and 2: raise the weighted average price part of the way and contribute non-Federal revenue for the rest of the gap.
Step 1: SY 2025-26 Weighted Average Price Calculator
Enter the number of paid lunches from October 2025 with their prices, including all schools.
#
Number of Paid Lunches
Paid Lunch Price
Monthly Revenue
Total
Rounded to the cent.
Workbook cell A24. Not below zero; no carry-forward.
Workbook cell A26.
Step 2: Weighted Average Price for SY 2026-27
The price the SFA plans to charge in SY 2026-27. Try prices in the estimator below if it is not known.
Pricing Estimation Calculator (optional)
Enter the number of paid lunches expected to be served for one month with the prices you are considering.
#
Number of Paid Lunches
Paid Lunch Prices
Monthly Revenue
Total
Not rounded, as in the workbook.
Step 3: Annual paid lunches
The total paid lunch count for all prices.
Workbook cell B50: the gap left after the planned price.
Workbook cell C50.
Step 4: Shortfall or Credit
Shortfall is entered as a negative number, credit as a positive number. Take it from last year’s Report: Block I is a shortfall (enter -600.00 for $600.00), Block J is a credit (enter 500.00 for $500.00). Leave blank if there is none.
Workbook cell B54.
Overview of the Calculations
Workbook cell A57: the capped required price less the planned price, limited to 10 cents.
Workbook cell A59 (its label there reads "SY 2027-27"): the figure the Report compares your contribution against.
Workbook cell A61. For awareness only.
Workbook cell A63.
7 Paid Lunch Equity Report for SY 2026-2027
This report provides a summary of the calculations made for SY 2026-27. It details the weighted average paid price requirement, the method the SFA chose to meet the requirement, and any shortfall or credit to be carried forward to the next school year. Print it and keep it in the SFA's records; it is needed to complete next year's PLE tool.
Section 1: SY 2026-27 Weighted Average Paid Price Requirements
This unrounded price will be entered into the SY 2027-28 tool to determine the weighted average price requirements. Unrounded value:
Section 2: Summary of Calculations
Chosen in step 3.
Average Weighted Price Adjustments
The weighted average price the SFA will establish. It is compared with the required price from Method 1 ().
Non-Federal Source Contributions
Compared with the required amount in Method 2 ().
Split Calculations
For the record only; no calculation reads it.
Compared with the required amount in Method 3 ().
Where these rules come from
7 CFR 210.14(e): a School Food Authority whose weighted average paid lunch price is below the target must raise it, contribute non-Federal revenue to the nonprofit school food service account, or do both. For SY 2026-27 the target is $4.16 and the requirement is last year's unrounded requirement plus a 2% rate increase and the Consumer Price Index (3.85%), capped at the target. The required increase in any one year does not exceed 10 cents; anything left over is carried forward as a shortfall to the next year's calculation, and any excess as a credit.
USDA memos SP 06-2026 "Paid Lunch Equity: Guidance for School Year 2026-2027" and SP 39-2011 "Revised Child Nutrition Reauthorization 2010: Guidance on Paid Lunch Equity and Revenue from Nonprogram Foods". The 2026 Appropriations Act exempts an SFA with a positive or zero balance in its nonprofit school food service account as of June 30, 2025.
Rebuilt from the USDA FNS workbook version dated March 2026. The Report is kept in the SFA's records for state agency review; it is not submitted through a form.