DCPS Promises Better Cafeteria Food
Mayor Adrian Fenty and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced this morning D.C. Public Schools' plan to outsource its food service operations—a move that they say will save the city millions of dollars and offer new, nutritious meals to students.
"The Mayor and I want to introduce students to a variety of foods to help train their palates to choose healthier foods for the rest of their lives. It is part of what a well-rounded education should offer. Good nutrition can certainly help enhance academic achievement," Rhee said in a written statement.
DCPS’ Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) will solicit bids from food service professionals to manage DCPS food operations and provide fresh, high-quality, nutritious food. In addition, the office will also hold vendor presentations for student input and taste testing opportunities.
In 2006, OFNS provided more than 8.8 million breakfasts, lunches and snacks to DCPS students at a net loss of $9.5 million. OFNS is projected to have lost $10.8 million in 2007 and $11.6 million in 2008. Less than 40 percent of DCPS high school students eat school provided lunch, mostly because of long lines or because they don’t like the taste of the food, and one goal of the proposal is to increase students’ consumption of the cafeteria food.
So far, students and teachers seem to welcome this culinary development.
"It seems that as many students go without eating the lunch at all rather than eating what the school currently offers," said Dan Gordon, a teacher at Bell Multicultural High School in Columbia Heights. "By 4th period, they are either dragging their heels for lack of nutrition, or bouncing around the room from their own three-course lunch of candy, chips and soda."
Kyle Sumner, a senior at Bell, added, "Cafeteria food is sub-par. It's chewy, bland, and half the time we don't even know what we're eating. All I'm asking for is some food that looks like more than thirty seconds of effort were put into it's cooking. Also, something other than chicken and fish would be nice."
Taste aside, another way that DCPS could save some money in the cafeteria is by claiming government reimbursements for meals for students living at or near the poverty line. About 64 percent of students qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Food program, but DCPS has often failed to ensure that eligible students complete the required paperwork. DCPS’ lack of accountability means that the District has missed out on thousands of dollars in reimbursements. According to a District release, DCPS pays $1.68 for each pre-plated meal provided by the current vendor, and the federal government reimburses $2.49 for students who are eligible for free meals. The Mayor’s office has promised to be more accountable for this oversight in the future.