Lunch could look different for some students at a Rutherford County charter school in the future.
American Classical Academy Rutherford (ACAR) has filed a petition with the Rutherford County School Board to opt out of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and seek vendors elsewhere. School leaders say the move is needed to help avoid administrative burdens and cost inefficiencies.
Context From the School
ACAR opened with the intent of participating in the NSLP, but its leaders have faced challenges over the past two years securing a fully qualified NSLP-compliant vendor.
“No vendor has been able to meet both federal program criteria and the school’s expectations for quality, feasibility, and operational alignment during its first and second years of operation,” ACAR’s proposal to the board reads…