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California Dept. of Education Sponsored Training

Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletin
Purpose: Beneficial Information

To: All Public/Non-Public Schools, Districts, County Offices of Education, Charter Schools, Group Homes, Juvenile Halls, Camps, Residential Child Care Institutions, and All Other Agencies Participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

 Number: NSD-SNP-09-2013
Attention: Food Service Directors and Business Officials Date: March 2013
Subject: California Department of Education Sponsored Training
Reference: National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, parts 210 and 220

The California Department of Education (CDE) has a strong commitment to meeting the training needs of all School Nutrition Program (SNP) personnel, including food service directors, managers, and front line staff; as well as accountants, business officials, administrators, and superintendents. This Management Bulletin (MB) provides information on the training and support that the CDE Nutrition Services Division (NSD) provides for School Food Authorities (SFA) (Local Educational Agencies participating in SNPs).

Training and Education Needs Assessment

Recently, the NSD completed a Training and Education Needs Assessment (TENA) process to identify quality and timely training and education resources SNP personnel need to support their success and growth over the next five years. The TENA process involved convening a diverse stakeholder committee and conducting a survey; the TENA Survey Final Report can be accessed on the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) Research Web page at http://cns.ucdavis.edu/resources/research/index.cfm.

The TENA Committee made recommendations to address the unmet training needs of SNP personnel in several areas, such as meal planning, meal preparation, nutrition and special dietary needs, and business topics. A training plan based on these recommendations is now under development and will be available on the CDE Web site by July 2013. In addition, to promote the trainings offered and to make it easier for SFAs to access this information, the CDE will be updating the Web site by June 2013. The new training Web page will include CDE-sponsored trainings along with Web links to outside organizations that the CDE recommends for training and resources. A list of CDE sponsored trainings for SNP personnel is enclosed.

Financial Management

While there are many training needs, financial management education is critical. Without an efficient and fiscally sound meal program, school nutrition professionals cannot provide optimum nutrition offerings to children that reinforce classroom nutrition instruction and promote health. Research consistently demonstrates that students’ nutrition and health status is directly linked to their academic achievement.

The NSD provides support to SFAs in the area of financial management through policy guidance, resources, training seminars, presentations at conferences/meetings, and one-on-one technical assistance. For example, the NSD has annually provided comprehensive Cafeteria Fund Guidance training sessions (PowerPoint and resource handouts) since 2008 at California School Nutrition Association (CSNA) Chapter Meetings, the Annual CSNA Conference (twice in 2011), and at the California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) conference for school district administrators and food service directors. These cafeteria fund training materials will be available from the NSD in late spring.

Through the California Professional Nutrition Education and Training Network (Cal-Pro-NET), the NSD offers two courses in financial management. The San Jose State University (SJSU) Cal-Pro-NET Center provides Financial Management Level I, a two-day introductory course for new directors, supervisors, managers, and accounting personnel. The course curriculum is from the National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI) and is augmented with topics such as U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods Entitlement, Indirect Costs, Paid Lunch Equity, and Non-Program Foods Revenue. For more information, visit the SJSU Cal-Pro-NET Training Opportunities Web page at http://www.nufs.sjsu.edu/calpronet/courses.htm.

The UC Davis Cal-Pro-NET Center provides Financial Management Level II, a two-day course designed for experienced SNP directors, supervisors, managers, and accounting personnel. Topics include financial investigation, factors impacting revenue and expenditures and solutions to mitigate impact, food cost analysis, and developing action and business plans. It also reinforces topics from the Level I course—USDA Foods, Indirect Costs, Paid Lunch Equity, and Non-Program Food Revenues. For more information, visit the UC Davis Training Opportunities Web page at http://cns.ucdavis.edu/training/index.cfm.

In addition, the NSD has identified the need for expanded training on allowable and unallowable use of cafeteria funds and indirect costs. In School Year 2013–14, the NSD will initiate mandatory Cafeteria Fund Management training. In the meantime, Management Bulletin (MB) NSD-SNP-05-2012: Cafeteria Funds/Accounts provides information on the laws and regulations that govern revenues accruing to cafeteria funds/accounts, improper practices that can result in audit findings, best practices, and trainings and guidance the NSD provides. Access MB NSD-SNP-05-2012 on the CDE SNP MB Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/mb.asp.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

The CDE is presenting two sessions at the 2013 CASBO conference at the Long Beach Convention Center.

On Thursday, April 4, 2013, the CDE will present a two-part session on Legislation and Cafeteria Funds. Part I will begin with a Legislative Update and transition into Cafeteria Fund policy oversight. Part II will be devoted solely to the allowable uses of cafeteria funds. This two-part session will include information about the laws and regulations pertaining to cafeteria funds and discussion of how these funds may be used, and appropriate processes and procedures for reporting allowable expenditures. (Please note that the description for the first half of this two-part session is an update from the CASBO printed schedule materials on the CASBO Web site.)

On Friday, April 5, 2013, the CDE will provide a two-part State Update session regarding a variety of topics including the new meal certification and validation requirements, USDA Foods, Local School Wellness, Competitive Foods and Beverages, and Direct Certification.

The CDE strongly encourages all SFAs to take advantage of these training opportunities. For further details please visit the CASBO 2013 Annual Conference Web page at http://casbo.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=1268.

More Information

If you have any questions regarding the sessions scheduled for the CASBO Conference, please contact Christine Kavooras, Acting Manager, Nutrition Programs Administration, by phone at 916-322-3609 or by e-mail at ckavoora@cde.ca.gov, or Tracey Smith, Acting Manager, Southern School Nutrition Programs Unit, by phone at 916-322-3934 or by e-mail at tsmith@cde.ca.gov.

If you have any questions regarding the attached available list of trainings, please contact Mandeep Punia, Nutrition Education Consultant, Nutrition Education and Policy Unit, by phone at 916-323-6037 or by e-mail at mpunia@cde.ca.gov.

Enclosure

California Department of Education Sponsored Trainings
for School Nutrition Program Personnel

Mandatory Training Fiscal Year 2012–13
Elective Trainings Fiscal Year 2012–13
Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
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