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Study: Only about 15 percent of Texas school districts outsource foodservices

Research by Mackinac Center finds Lone Star State lags Michigan in contracting out non-instructional services like food, custodial and transportation.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

September 3, 2015

1 Min Read
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Only 153 of the 1,025 independent school districts in Texas contract out their food services, according to a survey by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Nevertheless, that ratio, about 15 percent of the districts, is the highest of the three types of services the Mackinac Center studied.

Custodial services were contracted out by only 9.8 percent of the districts and transportation a minimal 3.8 percent. In all, 22.8 percent of districts contracted one or more of these three services, with only 9—less than 1 percent—contracting all three.

 

The numbers were contrasted with Michigan’s 542 school districts, which the Mackinac Center has been surveying for years. There, 42.8 percent of districts contract out foodservices, up from 28.6 percent 10 years ago.

 

Contact Mike Buzalka at [email protected]

About the Author

Mike Buzalka

Executive Features Editor, Food Management

Mike Buzalka is executive features editor for Food Management and contributing editor to Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News. On Food Management, Mike has lead responsibility for compiling the annual Top 50 Contract Management Companies as well as the K-12, College, Hospital and Senior Dining Power Players listings. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English Literature from John Carroll University. Before joining Food Management in 1998, he served as for eight years as assistant editor and then editor of Foodservice Distributor magazine. Mike’s personal interests range from local sports such as the Cleveland Indians and Browns to classic and modern literature, history and politics.

Mike Buzalka’s areas of expertise include operations, innovation and technology topics in onsite foodservice industry markets like K-12 Schools, Higher Education, Healthcare and Business & Industry.

Mike Buzalka’s experience:

Executive Features Editor, Food Management magazine (2010-present)

Contributing Editor, Restaurant Hospitality, Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News (2016-present)

Associate Editor, Food Management magazine (1998-2010)

Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1997-1998)

Assistant Editor, Foodservice Distributor magazine (1989-1997)

 

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