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The 2020 K-12 Power Players profiles the country’s 25 largest school districts’ meal programs

From New York City schools to Los Angeles Unified School District and Chicago Public Schools, Food Management highlights the largest school cafeteria programs.

Mike Buzalka, Executive Features Editor

February 3, 2020

24 Slides
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The 2020 edition of Food Management’s K-12 Power Players profiles the school meal programs at the 25 largest public K-12 school districts in the United States as ranked by enrollment. As in previous editions of the K-12 Power Players, each profile includes basic factual information about the program ranging from generic enrollment and number of schools figures to more specific information relating to the meal program, including number of meals served, program budget, management structure and the name of the person who heads the food/nutrition services department.

In addition to that basic factual information, we include brief notes for each describing recent foodservice-related initiatives or major developments that might have affected each particular program.

While they collectively constitute but a small fraction of the entire school foodservice market, these 25 mega districts do have outsized influence on school foodservice nationally in areas such as product development and vendor strategies due to their purchasing clout, hence their activities, initiatives and areas of emphasis have significance for the entire school food community.

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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