Schools Leaving Money on the Table

As part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, school districts would receive an extra 6 cents per meal served if they met the new, healthier regulations. In order to receive that 6-cent bonus, districts had to submit paperwork proving that the meals served actually met the requirements. But many districts haven’t submitted the paperwork and are leaving the money on the table. Nearly 40% of Minnesota districts have not filed the documents to receive the money, according to the Star Tribune, which spoke with Debra Lukkonen, supervisor of school nutrition for the Minnesota Department of Education. Lukkonen said many districts are too time-strapped to complete the paperwork. When districts complete the process, they will receive the 6-cent-per-meal reimbursement, but only for meals served after the paperwork is processed. That could be a large sum of money that districts are missing out on. St. Paul Public Schools is receiving $300,000 from the reimbursement this year.