Regulation Code - EFA-R

Section E: Support Services

Regulation Title: Food Provisions for Staff, Parents and Volunteers
Regulation Code: EFA-R

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The District shall not provide food, beverages, or refreshments to staff or parents beyond the extent to which the District is authorized to do so by laws pertaining to travel and subsistence, gifts, grants (including federal grants), or devises.

District Benefit & Documentation
A “Food Justification Form” must be completed to document the economic or operational benefit to the district for providing food. The justification must be signed by the department/school administrator and attached to any requisition. The justification form should include a copy of an agenda, an event flyer, or other supporting documentation.

The department/school must obtain/retain an itemized receipt for the actual cost of the food and beverages served. A listing of all participants and dates of activities must be provided with any invoices and/or receipts.

District-Sponsored Events
Food and beverages may be provided at district events, which includes:
• Official school functions.
• Employee professional development activities.
• District-sponsored events, which may include parents and non-district employees.
• Activities occurring outside of regular work hours, weekends, or District holidays.

Events not listed here or authorized by Board policy will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
This does not apply to food and beverage purchases used for culinary arts programs, community school programs (i.e., community schools, IELC’s, etc.), or Food Service meals for students.

Authorized Vendors
When events will be held at a district facility and the cost of catering shall exceed $300, departments and schools must first contact Food Services or a high school culinary arts program. If either Food Services or a high school culinary arts program is unable to accommodate the request, an out of district vendor may be used. Documentation must be provided showing that Food Services or a high school culinary arts program was unable to meet the department or school’s request.

For events where the cost of catering shall be less than $300, departments and schools may chose to use an out of district vendor or contact Food Services or high school culinary arts program to fulfill the request.

Bottled Water
Departments and schools may purchase bottled water when there is, on a permanent or temporary basis, no reasonably available potable water at a given location. Purified water for medical purposes, or to operate machinery or equipment are exempt. Employees may pool personal funds to purchase bottled water for a department or school.

Purchases for spring, sparkling, or other expensive types of water are prohibited.

Funding Sources
Schools and departments may use Maintenance & Operations, Auxiliary Funds, Gifts and Donations, or personal funds for food and beverage purposes. A department or school must adhere to whether Federal, State, private grants, contracts, or intergovernmental agreements allows these types of purchases.

Desegregation funds can only be used to pay for food, beverages, or refreshments for community engagement programming.  The event must include district families and/or community stakeholders.  Funds cannot be used to pay for activities where only district employees will be present.

Funds given to the Board through gifts, grants, and devises may be expended to provide food, beverages, or refreshments to staff or parents only if such expenditure satisfies the donor’s or grantor’s intended purpose.

After covering the expenses of the civic center school fund, the Board may expend surplus monies in the fund for maintenance and operations (including food, beverages, or refreshments to staff or parents where applicable)

The cost of food and/or beverages must be broken out and coded separately on all purchase order requisitions.

Purchase Amounts
Expenditures for food, beverages or refreshments is limited to the lesser of the amount of:
1. The per person travel reimbursement amount for a full day meal in the district’s travel policy.
2. The amount allowed under the grant, contract, or other source of funding.

The authorized amounts are exclusive of taxes, service charges and gratuities. Gratuity is not, under any condition, to exceed 20% of the total cost.

Prohibited Items and Activities
Mere hospitality, courtesy, convenience, camaraderie, collegiality and/or affability – taken collectively or individually – do not constitute a valid justification for providing food at District expense to participants in trainings.

Food or beverage purchases are strictly prohibited for district business meetings where only district employees are in attendance, regardless of funding source. District business meetings do not include employee professional development activities.

The purchase of food or beverages cannot be combined with other purchases (e.g., room rental) to circumvent this policy.

Purchase of alcohol is strictly prohibited.

ADOPTED: September 13, 2023
REVISED:   February 14, 2024