School Nutrition Programs: Where goes the dough? Sandy Curwood, PhD, RDN School nutrition programs director Virginia Department of education
Overview Hiring and professional development requirements Roles and goals of School Nutrition Programs – VDOE and School Divisions Hiring and professional development requirements Financial data in SNPweb Use of program funds Indirect costs Unpaid meal charges Training and resources
Office of School Nutrition Programs Role of VDOE SNP: Administer the USDA School Meals Program , through compliance reviews and provision of support and training. Role of Division SNP: Implement the SNP with fidelity. Goal of VDOE SNP and school division SNP: Ensure all students have access to good, healthy food at school in support of academic success and lifelong wellness. Support the educational program and provide additional support to students and their families .
Hiring and professional development requirements For school nutrition program staff
Hiring standards for directors School Nutrition Program directors : The hiring standards for School Food Authority (SFA) Directors are based on the size of their Local Educational Agency (LEA) 10,000 or more students- Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas;* 2,500-9,999 students-OR Associate’s degree or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas,* and at least 2 years of relevant school nutrition programs experience. Associate’s degree or equivalent educational experience, with academic major in specific areas,* and at least 1 year of relevant school nutrition programs experience; OR High school diploma (or GED) and at least 3 years of relevant experience in school nutrition programs.
Professional Development Requirements Director : Responsible for managing school nutrition programs for all schools under an SFA : 12 hours and food safety training 8 hours every 5 years. Manager: In charge of the operations of a site (or several sites) 10 hours. Staff: Works 20 or more hours weekly in direct program support -6 hours . (Part-time )Works less than 20 hours per week - 4 hours. *If hired on or after January 1, only half of the required hours for that school year are required.
School Nutrition Program Administrative and Procurement Reviews Resource management
Resource Management Five areas of review: Maintenance of the Nonprofit School Food Service Account Paid Lunch Equity Revenue from Non-program Foods Indirect Costs USDA foods Maintenance of the Nonprofit School Food Service Account The SA must ensure that revenues and expenditures under the nonprofit school food service account are in accordance with 7 CFR 210.14. The nonprofit school food service costs must be allowable — used only for the operation and improvement of the school food service — and net cash resources may not exceed three months' average operating costs. (7 CFR 210.14) Paid Lunch Equity The SA must ensure that SFAs comply with the requirements for pricing paid lunches. (7 CFR 210.14(e)) Revenue from Nonprogram Foods The SA must ensure that SFAs comply with the requirements that revenues from the sale of nonprogram foods generate at least the same proportion of total school food service account revenues as expenditures from the purchase of nonprogram foods contribute to total school food service account food costs. Administrative Review Guidance Page 94 In addition, the SFA must price adult meals so the adult payments are sufficient to cover the overall cost of meals, including the value of any USDA Foods used in the production of adult meals. (7 CFR 210.14(f)) Indirect Costs The SA must ensure that SFAs follow fair and consistent methodologies to identify and allocate allowable indirect costs to school food service accounts. (2 CFR 225) USDA Foods The SA must ensure that the SFA and its participating schools have acceptable policies and procedures in place to safeguard and utilize USDA Foods in the School Meals Programs. (7 CFR 210.14(d))
SNP Financial data Income- federal and state funds, BaB, state breakfast incentives, USDA foods (commodities) , local revenue- ala carte, adult meals, catering. other : equip grants and FFVP. Expenses- food, supplies, labor – generally 45/45 split labor vs food/supplies. Enterprise fund- should be self sufficient but isn’t the cookie jar. Management tools- for benchmarking, analysis Key performance indicators- MPLH, inventory turnover, breakeven point, etc.
Financial data in SNP Web School divisions input financial data via SNP Web. CEP divisions must enter monthly and others have can- semi annual and annual reporting is required. Excess of three months operating requires a spending plan. Claims are entered into SNPweb. New software being rolled out: May 2017- new applications entered. Claims will be uploaded. Reports and guidance improved.
Use of program funds
Use of program funds Allowable costs- Direct- allocable to the SNP A cost allocable to a particular Federal award or other cost objective under the Federal cost principles may not be charged to other Federal awards to overcome fund deficiencies, to avoid restrictions imposed by regulations or terms of the Federal awards, or for other reasons; to do so would assign the cost to a cost objective that did not benefit from it. Adequately documented Treated consistently Ex. SNP staff performing duties outside of the SNP program, must document time and salary allocated to other functions. Indirect Indirect cost rate is annually communicated to school divisions from VDOE , based on USDOE. Not required to be applied. If division applies indirect costs, must do it consistently among federal programs. Must establish (document) and direct cost base and apply rate to base in order to capture from SNP funds.
Unpaid meal charges
Unpaid Meal Charges 2 CFR Part 200 Section 143 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. SFAs must have a written and clearly communicated policy in place effective July 1, 2017 Includes: 1. Written policy for children eligible for reduced-price of full-price meals that do not have money for pay for meals at the time of service. 2. Communicate the policy to all students and households by the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year. 3. Collection of delinquent meal charge debt must be included.
VDOE Training and Resources Training, resources, and support: Summer manager’s workshops Spring and Fall Regional meetings Targeted trainings: new directors, procurement, other timely topics Sample policies Superintendent and Director memos What training/info would you appreciate having?
References U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services (2017). Final Rule: Professional Standards for State and Local School Nutrition Programs Personnel as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 Retrieved from: https://www.fns.usda.gov/fr-030215 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services (2016). Indirect cost memo. Retrieved from: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/cn/SP60-2016os.pdf U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services (2016). Indirect Cost Guidance Manual. Retrieved from: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/cn/SP60-2016a.pdf Virginia Department of Education (2017). Superintendents memo- March 10, 2017, Unpaid Meal Charge Policy. Retrieved from: http: //www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2017/070-17.shtml
Questions?