HISD's breakfast program to be audited
It's been an interesting few weeks for HISD and new superintendent Abe Saavedra. Saavedra has had to focus on a cheating scandal and now it's time for an audit of the district's subsidized breakfast program:
The review begins Jan. 24 and is done every five years at school districts that participate in the free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch programs.
HISD and Aramark officials repeatedly have denied wrongdoing as reimbursements from the federally subsidized meals program have grown by 50 percent to $69 million since 2000.
District officials did not respond to a request Monday for financial documents that would show how HISD has profited from its food services operation.
About 80 percent of Houston's 209,000 students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The district is reimbursed $1.25 for every free breakfast and 95 cents for reduced-price breakfasts, Boyd said.
School officials attribute much of the increase in reimbursements to Aramark's Breakfast in the Classroom program, which serves students at their desks, whether they ask for it or not. Forty HISD schools participate in the program.
Last year, Aramark earned about $5 million from the HISD contract.
(Emphasis added)
Reimbursements are up 50% since 2000 to the tune of $69 million? That's a staggering amount of subsidized food. And some of that food is given to students who haven't even asked for it.
But, it's only taxpayer money and it's "for the children."
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/12/05 08:38 AM | Houston Miscellany | Print | Comments (0)
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