Overview
This resource is a primer for authorizers, policymakers and advocates to understand the current regulations for participating in a federal food service program. Navigating the complex requirements of these programs is one of the major hurdles to equitable participation by charter schools, both because of the specialized knowledge needed by staff and the difficulty of operating a food services program in a financially sound manner at a small scale.
NACSA has created this resource in order to help authorizers understand the challenges charter schools face and to better equip stakeholders to assist schools navigate this important access and equity issue.
Note: Throughout this primer, NACSA uses the term “school,” which, in the case of a CMO or multi-campus charter school, would cover all schools managed by the same operator.