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School board raises adult meal prices after food-service audit
Summary
Trousdale County School Board voted unanimously to raise adult lunch from $4.75 to $5.00 and adult breakfast to $3.00 after a state administrative review found the district’s prior adult-pricing practices did not meet federal reimbursement rules.
The Trousdale County School Board voted unanimously to raise adult meal prices after a recent administrative review found the district’s prior adult-pricing approach did not meet federal/state reimbursement rules.
The board approved increasing adult lunch from $4.75 to $5.00 and adult breakfast to $3.00 during a discussion of food-service compliance. Chair opened the discussion by saying the review required an immediate correction; Director Doug Sandvik told the board that state reviewers said the district “has to be corrected immediately” and noted the new minimum pricing requirements. Food-service director Cassie explained how the federal reimbursement and commodity valuations determine the required adult rate.
Nut graf: The change is a technical compliance move, not a new program. District staff said the audit — part of a routine administrative review that covered menus, documentation and procurement — resulted in four findings (two at the school level and two at the district level). Officials said staff attitudes and student participation were praised, but pricing and documentation needed adjustment to meet federal guidance.
Board members pressed on the fairness of the rule and the impact on staff. One board member called the audit finding “trash,” arguing teachers who help with meals should be accommodated; other members acknowledged that the district has little discretion when federal or state rules require a minimum price. Cassie, the food-service director, described the specific calculation the reviewers used and said the district had been 24 cents below the required adult lunch rate before the change.
By adopting the recommended rates, the board aligned district practice with the state’s interpretation of USDA reimbursement rules. The motion to raise the prices was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the board recorded the outcome as passed.
The board also directed staff to continue reviewing purchasing and documentation practices identified in the audit. No further changes to student meal pricing were proposed at the meeting.
The board’s action takes effect immediately for adult meals; the district said student meal prices and free/reduced policies were not altered by this vote.
