A pilot program that will be implemented in the Greenwood Public School District this year will allow all students, regardless of household income, to eat free of charge.
The school board, at a called meeting Monday night, gave its approval to Provision 3 of the National School Lunch Act, which was approved by Congress in 1995. School officials say everyone will benefit from the program, which reduces paperwork and simplifies meal counting and claiming procedures.
Presently, about 87 percent of the district's 4,000 students eat breakfast and/or lunch either free or at a reduced cost, depending on family size and income.
Under the new program, the school district will receive the same amount of federal dollars and commodity support based on free and reduced meal figures from the 1999-2000 school year. Federal dollars and commodity support could increase or decrease slightly depending on enrollment figures.
Although the district must pay the difference between federal reimbursement and the coast of providing all meals at no charge, district food service director Becky McCabe told board members the district should be able to feed all students.
"We've done the paperwork to determine if we can do this successfully this year and it looks like we can," she said. "We should have enough money to feed all of the children free."
She said the district might consider several options to help shore up cafeteria funds, including selling juices, cookies and other nutritious snacks. Also, teachers and other employees who eat in the cafeteria will still have to pay the adult price, which is $1 for breakfast and $2 for lunch. Full price for students had been 60 cents for breakfast and $1.25 for lunch.
McCabe told board members that the program eliminates the burden or processing free and reduced meal applications.
Parents will no longer have to fill out lunch applications under this program. It also removes any stigma associated with free or reduced meals because all students are treated equally.
Several cafeteria job vacancies might not be filled, but no jobs would be eliminated.
If the program proves successful this school year, the district can continue to participate for another four years, And, an additional four-year extension can be granted.
Superintendent Les Daniels said if the program proves unsuccessful this school term, the district will likely go back to the free and reduced meal program. However, Daniels said, he is very optimistic that the program will work.
"This is brand new, but we can do it," Daniels said. "If we find it will hurt us financially, we will have to look at going back, but I don't think it will."
McCabe said 17 Mississippi school districts participated in the program last year and all but one of the 17 will be participating again this year.
McCabe, Assistant Superintendent Margie Pulley and the district's business manager, Steve Loden, attended a conference about the program last week. Pulley said that, after sitting through the conference and asking all the right questions, school officials thought the program was a good idea.
"We're excited that we can do this for all students. We feel good about it," Pulley said.
She said that some districts opted to implement the pilot program at one or several school campuses, but that McCabe showed where the Greenwood district could put the program into place at all school sites.
Congress had previously approved two other provisions, both in 1980. Provision I requires districts to continue to record daily meal counts of the number of meals served by category and the base years was included in the two years the district could participate in the program. Also, there is no extension allowed. Provision 2, which is similar to Provision 3, allows schools to establish claiming percentages for a four-year period and monthly claims are submitted based on the percentage of free and reduced price and paid meals served during the base year. None of these regulations are required in Provision 3.
