Unpaid school lunch debt is becoming a primary issue in Loudoun County Public Schools as food insecurity continues to impact the D.C. area.

“Our unpaid meal date has increased year over year,” Sharon Willoughby, chief financial officer for Loudoun County Public Schools, said during a joint meeting of the Loudoun County Board of Education and Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on Monday.

She said unpaid meal debt is up 52% compared to last year. And requests to be included in the Free and Reduced Lunch program have jumped 180%.

“This year, we’re off to the same trend, where we will most likely be exceeding last year’s unpaid meal debt,” Willoughby said. “After the pandemic, LCPS, along with other school divisions across the nation, has seen their meal debt really increase just across

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