OPERATIONS
This chapter reviews the Water Valley Independent School District's (WVISD) operations in the following areas:
- A. Facilities
- B. Computers and Technology
- C. Transportation
- D. Food Services
D. FOOD SERVICES
Inefficient food service management and cost control can harm student performance by reducing funds available for the classroom. Moreover, inadequate nutrition can reduce students' concentration and academic achievement. A well-managed food service department is critical to the health and academic success of all students.
The mission of a school food service program is to provide an appealing and nutritionally sound breakfast and lunch to students and to operate on a cost-recovery basis. Several success factors can be used to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of a school food service operation. These include a high ratio of meals per labor hour (MPLH), minimum food cost and waste, maximum participation in breakfast and lunch programs, high nutritional value and a variety of meals, minimal wait times for student service and financial self-sufficiency.
The Texas School Food Service Association (TSFSA) has identified 10 standards of excellence for evaluating TSFSA programs. TSFSA states effective programs should:
- Identify and meet current and future needs through organization, planning, direction and control;
- Maintain financial accountability through established procedures;
- Meet the nutritional needs of students and promote the development of sound nutritional practices;
- Ensure that procurement practices meet established standards;
- Provide appetizing, nutritious meals through effective, efficient systems management;
- Maintain a safe and sanitary environment;
- Encourage student participation in food service programs;
- Provide an environment that enhances employee productivity, growth, development and morale;
- Promote a positive image to the public; and
- Measure success in fulfilling regulatory requirements.
The U.S. Congress enacted the National School Lunch Program in 1946 to safeguard the health and well being of the nation's school children and to encourage the domestic consumption of agricultural products. The food service program is funded through a combination of federal subsidies for students from low-income families and the personal contribution of students who are able to pay. The federal government also provides schools with surplus food products through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Food Services Department consists of the Food Service manager and three full-time food service workers. The district formerly had five full-time staff members but eliminated one position for the 2000-01 school year. The Food Services manager reports directly to the superintendent. Given the size of the district, WVISD Food Services employees cook, heat, chill and serve pre-prepared and made-from-scratch foods. These employees also perform stocking, dishwashing, cashiering and kitchen clean-up at various times during the day.
Exhibit 4-12 summarizes the daily staffing patterns for the Food Services Department
Exhibit 4-12 Source: WVISD Food Service Department.
WVISD Food Service Department
Staffing Patterns
Position Hours Worked per Day Food Service Manager 8.0 Food Service Worker 8.0 Food Service Worker 8.0 Food Service Worker 8.0 Total 32.0 The district participates in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. The student body at WVISD is 38.7 percent economically disadvantaged. These students qualify for either free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch. Of the 38.7 percent of students who are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches, 77.6 percent qualify for free lunches with the remaining 22.4 percent qualifying for the reduced-price lunches.
The federal government reimburses the district based on the degree of student participation in the program. Exhibit 4-13 compares the reimbursement rates that WVISD has received for the breakfast program since 1998-99.
Exhibit 4-13 Source: Mealtimes Operation Report, 1998-99 through 2000-01.
Federal Reimbursement Rates
Free and Reduced-Price Breakfast
1998-99 through 2000-01
Program 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Regular Price $0.2000 $0.210 $0.21 Reduced-Price $0.7725 $0.790 $0.82 Free $1.0725 $1.09 $1.12 Exhibit 4-14 compares the reimbursement rates from 1998-99 through 2000-01 for the lunch program.
Exhibit 4-14 Source: Mealtimes Operation Report, 1998-99 through 2000-01.
Federal Reimbursement Rates
Free and Reduced-Price Lunch
1998-99 through 2000-01
Program 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Regular Price $0.1800 $0.19 $0.19 Reduced-Price $1.5425 $1.58 $1.62 Free $1.9425 $1.98 $2.02 When comparing WVISD to its peer districts in terms of the total percentage of students who qualify for the free and reduced-price programs, the district falls in the middle of the group. Exhibit 4-15 illustrates the economically disadvantaged population for each peer district from 1996-97 through 2000-01. In 2000-01, 38.7 percent of WVISD's student population was classified as economically disadvantaged. This compares to a state average of 49.2. In addition to the decreased enrollment in WVISD, the percentage of students eligible to receive free and reduced-price meals has decreased between 1999-2000 and 2000-01 by 14 percent.
Exhibit 4-15 Source: TEA, PEIMS 1996-97 through 2000-01.
Economically Disadvantaged Student Population
WVISD Compared to Peer Districts
1996-97 through 2000-01
District 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Bronte 32.4% 56.3% 47.3% 64.5% 60.1% Eden CISD 51.2% 55.3% 56.8% 55.2% 55.1% Water Valley 39.8% 43.8% 42.9% 45.0% 38.7% North Zulch 41.7% 36.8% 48.0% 43.5% 37.2% Veribest 40.9% 41.4% 45.2% 40.7% 30.5% FINDING
The district has made an effort to cut staff as a means of controlling costs in the Food Services Department. One position was eliminated at the beginning of the 2000-01 school year.
The number of meal equivalents served per day is calculated using a standard industry methodology. Each lunch served equals one meal equivalent. According to the standard, two breakfasts equal one meal equivalent. The average daily meal equivalents served by the WVISD Food Service Department is 240 as shown in Exhibit 4-16.
Exhibit 4-16 Source: WVISD Mealtime Operations Summary Reports and Meal Participation Report.
Average Meal Equivalents
2000 - 2001
Program Meals
ServedDaily Meal
EquivalentsBreakfast 58 29 Lunch 211 211 Total Daily Meals 269 240 Exhibit 4-17 summarizes the guidelines used by TSPR to evaluate the staffing levels at WVISD.
Exhibit 4-17 Source: Managing Child Nutrition Programs: Leadership for Excellence by Josephine Martin and Martha T. Conklin.
Recommended Meals Per Labor Hour (MPLH)
Number of
Meal EquivalentsMeals Per
Labor HourUp to 100 8/10 101-150 9/11 151-250 10-11/12 251-300 13/15 301-400 14/16 401-500 14/17 501-600 15/17 601-700 16/18 701-800 17/19 801-900 18/20 >901 19/21 The district's current level of staffing, 32 hours per day, translates to 7.5 meals per labor hour which is below the recommended efficiency level. The district anticipates that an additional food services full-time position will be eliminated when another employee retires. This change will bring the number of staffing hours down to 24 per day, which translates to 10 meals per labor hour.
COMMENDATION
WVISD is effectively managing its food service staffing levels by not planning to refill the position left open by retirement.
FINDING
The cafeteria at WVISD is located in the elementary school. It serves both the elementary and high school campuses. The cafeteria staff has set aside a small area of the cafeteria that they call "Wildcat Corner" that is reserved for the senior class. This area consists of a small group of tables set apart in one corner of the cafeteria that provides the seniors with their own special place. One of the many challenges a school cafeteria faces is retaining participation as the students get older. The Wildcat Corner provides the seniors a place of honor where they can socialize with their classmates and still eat in the cafeteria.
COMMENDATION
The "Wildcat Corner" encourages high school seniors to eat in the cafeteria.
FINDING
The district has taken innovative steps to encourage participation in its breakfast program. Each morning, the superintendent delivers grab-and-go breakfasts consisting of breakfast burritos to the high school. The review team was told that this is an extremely popular program that sells out each morning. It gives the students an opportunity to develop a closer relationship with the superintendent. This is an effective program that encourages student interaction with district administration, which is one advantage of small districts.
COMMENDATION
The district operates a breakfast burrito program at the high school to increase Food Services revenues.
FINDING
WVISD has implemented a point-of-sale ("POS") system. The system, which uses the Comalex Café Terminal Software, is on the state-approved bid list. This software provides the following benefits:
- Convenient pre-payment options;
- Maintains confidentiality for free and reduced-price students;
- Provides a clear audit trail;
- Reduces processing time to less than 2 seconds to sell a meal;
- Reduces labor hours with automated reports; and
- Reduces possibility for double counting.
POS software increases student participation. With the inherent confidentiality of the system, students who are eligible for the free and reduced-price program are not differentiated from the other students. Students, regardless of what program they participate in have their own code that they enter into a keypad. Increased participation translates into increased federal reimbursement, which translates into additional cash flow.
The Café Terminal software is designed to automate sales activity, meal and eligibility counts and state claim form preparation. It processes cafeteria sales quickly, tracks all meals and items sold and generates a variety of reports. It is a Windows-based software application that can meet the district's needs at a reasonable cost.
WVISD has reported significant improvements in its cash maintenance. The system has eliminated missing money. The tracking system also has eliminated the practice of students not paying the proper amount because it holds student specific data.
The system has significantly streamlined the district's reporting requirements. The system generates the reports needed to document participation rates to the federal government for the federal reimbursement program. The Business manager is provided a daily printout to review that takes no additional time to produce. The Food Services manager told the review team that the system's reporting feature has eliminated approximately two labor hours a day. The district has been able to increase its efficiency levels and will be able to reduce its staff by one additional person.
COMMENDATION
WVISD has purchased a POS that has reduced its daily labor hours and streamlined its federal reimbursement reporting.
FINDING
During interviews, the review team was told many times that the quality of the food in the cafeteria is less than optimal. Exhibit 4-18 presents the results from teachers' survey on the food quality at WVISD. Of the teachers surveyed, 52.9 percent expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the food was presented and how it tastes. Less than half of the teachers agreed that the food was served warm.
Exhibit 4-18 Source: TSPR Teacher Survey, March 2001.
WVISD Teacher Survey Results
Survey Questions Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree 63. The cafeteria's food looks and tastes good. 0.0% 35.3% 11.8% 35.3% 17.6% 64. Food is served warm. 0.0% 47.1% 29.4% 17.6% 5.9% In discussions with the Food Services manager, the review team was told that the department prepared meals from scratch regularly. Somehow, this is not being properly communicated to staff and students.
Recommendation 41:
Revise written menus to identify meals made from scratch.
The Food Services Department prepares monthly menus for distribution to staff and students. If the department would advertise those meals that are prepared from scratch, the misconception currently held that all meals are prepackaged frozen food could be revised. For example, on the days when lasagna is being prepared, the menu should read "Homemade Lasagna" instead of simply "Lasagna." Once the number of items identified as homemade increases, the current dissatisfaction with food preparation may improve.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The Food Services manager lists all entrees that are made from scratch on the menu for the coming month. October 2001 2. The Food Services manager tracks the percentage of meals made from prepared foodstuffs compared to the number of meals made from scratch. November 2001 and Ongoing FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation can be implemented with existing resources.
FINDING
The district has a number of vending machines operating right outside the cafeteria during the serving times. The sale of non-cafeteria items not only directly competes with Food Services Department's efforts to provide nutritious meals to students, but it is a direct violation of the federal law governing the National School Lunch Program. Under that law, the sale of candy and other foods of minimal nutritional value are prohibited in food service areas during lunch periods.
The Better Nutrition for School Children Act of 2001, introduced in the Senate in April 2001, expands the prohibition against selling soft drinks and other foods with minimum nutritional value in schools participating in the National School Lunch Program anywhere on school property during lunch or breakfast. The Agricultural Secretary has been requested to examine whether sales or donations of soda on school property should be banned or restricted on school property at other times during the day as well.
Recommendation 42:
Disable the vending machines located outside the cafeteria during serving hours.
The vending machines should be turned off when the cafeteria is serving food and 30 minutes before and after the breakfast and lunch periods. The district cannot afford to be found in violation of the National School Lunch Program. The district should assign a staff member to ensure the vending machines have been disabled every day.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The superintendent assigns the responsibility for overseeing the vending machines to a staff member. The responsibility can be rotated among staff members each month. September 2001 2. The principal turns off the vending machines 30 minutes before the first serving period each day. September 2001 and Ongoing 3. The principal turns the vending machines on 30 minutes following the last serving of the day. September 2001 and Ongoing FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation can be implemented with existing resources.
FINDING
The WVISD Food Services Department has been operating at a deficit for many years. Exhibit 4-19 summarizes the Food Services special revenue funds as reported in the 1997-98 through 1999-2000 audited financial statements.
Exhibit 4-19 Source: WVISD Audited Financial Statements 1997-98 through 1999-2000.
Audited Financial Statements
Food Services Special Fund
1997-98 through 1999-2000
School Year Total Revenue Total Expenditures Fund Balance 1997-98 $107,711 $211,918 ($104,207) 1998-99 $104,427 $178,354 ($73,927) 1999-2000 $105,684 $185,194 ($79,510) The district has budgeted the Food Services Department to operate at a $53,880 deficit during the 2000-01 school year. It is virtually impossible to operate a department at a profit when food and payroll costs exceed the total revenue from all sources. Exhibit 4-20 presents the budgeted expenses by category and the percentage of total revenue and expenditures.
Exhibit 4-20 Source: WVISD 2000-2001 Budget.
Budgeted Food Services Revenue and Expenditures
2000-2001
Revenues Category Actual Percent Local Revenue $30,000 33.6% State Matching $4,400 4.9% Federal Revenue $55,000 61.5% Total $89,400 100.0% Expenditures Category Actual Percent Payroll Related Expenditures $62,500 43.6% Food Supplies $75,000 52.3% Non-food Supplies $5,500 3.8% General Supplies $200 0.1% Miscellaneous Fees $80 0.1% Total $143,280 100.0% Difference ($53,880) During interviews with the San Angelo ISD director of Food Services, it came to light that San Angelo is paying a substantially lower unit price than the smaller districts in Tom Green County. For example San Angelo ISD can purchase green beans at 30 cents, while the smaller districts are paying 37 cents. This represents a 23.3 percent difference.
Recommendation 43:
Enter into a countywide food-purchasing cooperative.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The Food Services managers of all Tom Green County school districts meet to discuss forming a purchasing cooperative. October 2001 2. A committee is formed to set goals and objectives of the cooperative. November 2001 3. The committee develops recommendations. January 2002 4. District superintendents present the committee's recommendations to their respective boards. January 2002 5. The boards approve the formation of the cooperative
January 2002 6. The county enters into an interlocal food purchase agreement
February 2002 7. The county enters into an interlocal food purchase agreement
February 2002 8. The committee publishes for food bids. March 2002 FISCAL IMPACT
If the district can realize a net savings of at least 15 percent of its total food costs, it would realize a savings of $11,250, based on the 2000-01 budget food supplies expenditure of $75,000 shown in Exhibit 4-20.
Recommendation 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Enter into countywide food purchasing cooperative. $11,250 $11,250 $11,250 $11,250 $11,250 FINDING
The student participation rate in the meals provided by the district has been steadily decreasing over the last three years. Exhibit 4-21 compares the breakfast and lunch participation rates during this period.
Exhibit 4-21 Source: WVISD Mealtime Meal Participation Report.
Average Lunch Participation Trend Analysis
1998-99 through 2000-01Breakfast participation rates are always significantly lower than the lunch rates. However, a 30 to 35 percent participation rate should be easily attained. The district must address the negative trend in participation rates at WVISD.
There are a number of innovative programs that the district could select that would encourage greater participation. San Angelo ISD has an extremely successful Food Services program that continually operates at a profit and is not a financial drain on the district. One particular program that San Angelo ISD has implemented would work well at WVISD.
- Two lunch entrees per day: San Angelo ISD provides a choice of two lunch entrees each school day at every campus. The district would optimize its use of commodities by using similar ingredients in the same amounts each day but preparing them differently. For example, the menu choices one day might include tacos and sloppy joes. Both recipes use ground beef and are similar to prepare. The incremental food costs of providing this choice has been less than 2 percent in San Angelo and participation rates have increased by 5 percentage points since the program was introduced. In order to raise the participation level at WVISD, the cafeteria must provide its students with good quality food and some level of food choice.
Recommendation 44:
Encourage increased meal participation in district cafeterias.
One way to accomplish this is by incorporating the choice of two daily lunch entrees into the menu offered to WVISD students. Another might be the expansion of the grab-and-go breakfasts to the elementary level.
Unless the district raises its participation rates, it will continue to operate at a deficit and require general funds to cover its shortfall. These general funds simply are not available. If the current deficit continues, the district will completely deplete its fund balance by the middle of the 2001-02 school year.
To determine the best strategies for increasing participation, the district might consider organizing a committee of students and staff to research various approaches, menus and serving options that might encourage participation. It should not be difficult for the district to strive for raising its participation in the breakfast and lunch programs.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The Food Services manager meets with the superintendent, principal and teachers to develop strategies to increase overall meal participation. September 2001 2. The Food Services manager develops a four-week menu cycle to include two lunch entrée choices each day using the San Angelo Food Services department as a model. October 2001 3. The Food Services manager expands the district's grab-and-go breakfast burrito program to also be offered at the elementary school. October 2001 4. The principal distributes notices to parents and students regarding the new meal program options. October 2001 5. The principal announces the new breakfast program options to all students and encourages participation. October 2001 FISCAL IMPACT
Today the district is serving an average of 240 meal equivalents, 29 breakfasts and 211 lunches. Increasing the breakfast and lunch program participation to 60 breakfasts and 250 lunches would result in 31 additional breakfasts and 39 additional lunches each day.
The district has adequate staff to meet the increased number of meal equivalents. The only additional cost to the district will be the incremental food costs.
Each breakfast is estimated to result in an additional $1 in revenues based on a rough average of elementary and high school full-priced meal rates and federal reimbursement rates. Lunches are estimated at $1.50 using the same process.
First year increases are reduced by one half to allow for full implementation.
Recommendation 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 Encourage increased meal participation in district cafeterias. $3,842 $7,684 $7,684 $7,684 $7,684
