Bastrop ISD administration announces plan to bring school food service in‑house

Bastrop Independent School District administrators announced at the May 13 board meeting that the district intends to transition its child‑nutrition program from an outside contractor to an in‑house operation this summer. Administration said the decision followed months of evaluation and a procurement process overseen by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).

Chief financial and operations staff told trustees the district has used a sequence of contracted providers over the last decade, and that the administration believes bringing the program in‑house will give the district greater control over menus, staffing and student engagement. The district has posted a food‑service director position and plans to hire that director first to lead recruitment and the summer transition. Administrators said they notified TDA and existing contractors of the decision roughly 10 days before the meeting.

Board members asked about budget impacts, staffing and the timing of the transition. Administration projected the in‑house program would roughly break even under current free‑and‑reduced‑meal participation assumptions and said existing kitchen equipment — purchased or upgraded by the district in recent years — will remain district property. The district expects many current cafeteria workers employed by the contractor will be offered positions with Bastrop ISD if they are interested; the appointed director will refine staffing and purchasing details.

Administration cautioned that the projection is preliminary and that certain operational details — including final staffing lists, vendor transitions, and any up‑front small‑wares purchases — are still being finalized over the summer. The board was not recorded as taking a formal vote on the decision; administration presented the plan for transparency and said it will return with implementation details as hiring progresses.