Franklin County schools warn free-meal program may be unsustainable as meal reimbursements fall

Franklin County Community School Corporation officials warned the board of trustees on Oct. 13 that the district’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) — which currently provides free school meals to all students — may not be financially sustainable unless more families complete free/reduced meal applications and student meal participation increases.

The warning came during a presentation and extended discussion led by food services director Jessica DeFossett and joined by Superintendent Dustin Gehring and other district staff. DeFossett said the district has seen a sharp drop in families completing free/reduced paperwork while food prices and operating costs have risen, producing a large shortfall in the cafeteria fund.

Why it matters: CEP gives every student a free tray, but federal reimbursements differ based on how many students are formally approved for free or reduced-price meals. DeFossett told the board that the district receives a much higher reimbursement rate for students who are approved through the free/reduced application process; for students who are not approved the district receives only cents per meal. That gap, combined with rising food and supply costs, has left the cafeteria fund balance far lower than a year ago.

Details and figures - DeFossett said the district had 30 cafeteria employees last year and…