26 January 2005

nothing better to do...? part II

We were visited at school today by the district's coordinator of quality assurance for the National School Lunch Program. She came to do an audit of the kitchen/lunchroom at school. She needed to check that the number of applications for free lunches matched the number of lunches served versus what was actually being served. Just another sign of the federal government with their fingers in everything.

She came also to prepare us for the actual federal auditors coming later in the year. We've been through federal audits before for things related to NCLB. So far there has not been a problem that we couldn't take care of.

This time, however, we were found not to be in compliance. Why? Becasue the number of lunches served didn't match the number of applications versus the number of lunch tickets collected.

Okay, no problem. However, the law states that even if a child isn't eligible for a free lunch and has to pay, we have to give them a lunch because the law says that no child can go unfed! [Just like No Child Left Behind?]

So what's the big deal? If we have to feed every child, why do we have to count every one of them? And if anyone is missing/lost a ticket, we still have to feed them. So, why bother?

If the audit doesn't go well, a couple of things could happen: 1) people would be fired or 2) we would loose money from the federal government.

Well, one thing is certain. This has given people federal jobs that they wouldn't have had before. This gives a whole new meaing to the term "bean counter!"

especially, if you have nothing better to do...

No comments: