5 things: Schools continue to struggle with chronic absenteeism post-COVID

In this edition of 5 Things, Food Management highlights five things you may have missed recently about developments affecting onsite dining.

Here’s your list for today:

 1.    Schools continue to struggle with chronic absenteeism post-COVID

Student attendance nationwide is nowhere close to pre-pandemic levels with chronic absenteeism—generally defined as missing 10% or more of the school year—continuing to dog campuses despite the full-time return to learning in person as the number of students who were chronically absent last spring was double what it was before COVID-19. While national data for this year isn’t yet available, statistics out of Connecticut—the only state to publish chronic absenteeism numbers monthly during the pandemic—show little improvement in attendance as the state’s students had an average chronic absenteeism rate of 21.8% this past April, down only slightly from the rate last year of 23.7%. Meanwhile, California’s rate climbed from about 12% to 30% between 2018-19 and 2021-22 while Ohio experienced a jump from roughly 17% to 30% and Mississippi has seen the highest chronic absenteeism rates ever.    

Read more: Showing up to school was hard amid COVID. Why aren’t kids (or teachers) returning to class?

 2.    Premier divests non-healthcare GPO operations

Related:5 tech things: UCLA plans mobile ordering expansion

Premier, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement with non-healthcare group purchasing organization (GPO) OMNIA Partners under which it will divest its non-healthcare GPO operations. Following the close of the transaction, OMNIA will become the primary GPO for Premier’s non-healthcare members, which include educational, hospitality and recreation organizations, and will provide support to the channel partners that service non-healthcare GPO members, who will continue to have access to the Premier GPO portfolio. The transaction will have no impact on Premier’s healthcare businesses, and the company says it will maintain all existing healthcare contracts, services, solutions and programs.

Read more: Premier, Inc. to Divest Non-Healthcare GPO Operations for Approximately $800 Million in Cash

 3.    UConn gets Four-Star Green Restaurant certification for all its dining halls

The University of Connecticut at Storrs has achieved the singular distinction of being the only U.S. college campus on which every dining hall holds the coveted Four-Star Certified Green Restaurants designation, the university has announced. Dining halls achieve Four-Star Certified Green Restaurant certification by practicing sustainable approaches in eight categories: saving energy, conserving water, avoiding and recycling waste, adopting more reusable supplies in place of disposable items, reducing chemicals and pollution, local food sourcing, green-friendly facilities, and education and transparency.

Related:5 things: NYC schools launch school kitchen dashboard to promote meal offerings

Read more: UConn Becomes Only University with Four-Star Certification at All Dining Halls

 4.    Vermont to offer universal free school meals

Legislation mandating that public schools provide free breakfast and lunch regardless of their family’s income has become law in Vermont without Gov. Phil Scott’s signature. Scott said that he had decided to allow the bill to become law, despite his concerns about its cost.

Read more: Free school meals bill becomes law without governor’s signature

 5.    Student stunned by 61% price hike in mandatory meal plan

Garrett Oakes, 19, says he feels blindsided by a big jump in what he'll have to pay for food while living in residence next year at the University of New Brunswick Saint John in Canada. Last year, he paid $3,400 for a pay-as-you-go plan but next year, he just found out that all meal plans are converting to all-you-can eat and the cheapest option is $5,500, an increase of $2,100 or 61.7%.

Read more: Student stunned by 61% price hike in mandatory meal plan at UNB Saint John

Bonus: Aramark announces summer menu specials for Major League ballparks

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]