School Lunches

SoCal School Districts Cited For Misusing Millions in School Lunch Funds

Caution: School lunches may be more underfunded than they appear
Caution: School lunches may be more underfunded than they appear Photo: Mike Licht, Notions Capital/Flickr

Speaking of those scandalous school lunches, it appears California just stepped into a massive transgression, as Capitol Weekly notes that several state school districts are being nailed for misappropriating tens of millions of dollars intended to feed our poorest kids. So far, the California Department of Education is ordering eight districts to pay back nearly $170 million after the Senate Oversight Office discovered that money meant for free and reduced-price meals was being moved illegally from school cafeteria funds. Though a school district in San Francisco was also swept up in a Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes report on the misused funds, the biggest offender so far appears to be LAUSD, itself identified for misappropriating over $158 million in the last six years. Compton, Baldwin Park, San Diego, and Santa Ana school districts were also busted for misusing funds, so far necessitating repayment, but most likely not prosecution. [CW]

SoCal School Districts Cited For Misusing Millions in School Lunch Funds