NORTH CAROLINA -- Many public school students will need some extra change for meals this school year, as several districts in the Charlotte area are raising the cost for breakfast and lunch.

It’s been six years since the Rock Hill school district raised meal prices, but Food Services Director Chad Mitchell says it can’t hold out any longer. "With gas and fuel charges, with prices of grains going way up, it's snowballed a bit and made it a little bigger than we anticipated."

Breakfast and lunch will now cost students an extra 50-cents per meal. Between food and equipment costs and the state mandating stricter nutrition standards, Mitchell says he hopes the increase will help food services make up for some $800,000 lost over the last two years.

Rock Hill families aren’t the only ones who will be digger deeper in their pockets. Nationwide, 75 percent of school districts are expected to raise meal prices come fall, including Cabarrus County.

“We couldn't survive without it,” commented Tina Farmer, child nutrition director for the county.

Cabarrus County Food Services is looking to gain an extra $1 million by raising the cost of breakfast by 15-cents and lunch by 35-cents. That’s only if the county maintains the same participation as it did last year.

“It was a difficult decision to make and we know it will be difficult on parents, and we had to make it,” said Farmer.

Except for CMS, most counties will follow the trend. Gaston County Schools will raise most meal prices by 25-cents. Union County public school students will pay an extra dime for their meals. In the York County school district, meals will go up a dime as well.

Mitchell says he hopes Rock Hill’s increase will be enough to last a while, but as long as food and fuel prices continue to rise the director says it may not be possible with the economic conditions.

The Rowan-Salisbury School System and Shelby County Schools also approved meal price increases. The extra costs don’t affect students who qualify for free or discounted meals.