NC State Board of Education OKs $10M for food service workers, other plans for federal stimulus money

North Carolina public schools will get $10 million to help them recruit and retain food service workers.

The State Board of Education approved the expenditure, using federal stimulus money, Thursday after state Department of Public Instruction officials said most schools were reporting staffing challenges.

The board approved several other items related to the second federal stimulus package and a couple related to the third federal stimulus package — efforts to slowly start implementing spending plans still awaiting federal approval.

Food service workers had one of the highest vacancy rates in the Wake County Public School System, reported at nearly 30% last month.

“One of the reasons for this challenge is the compensation package offered by the service industry as service-oriented businesses begin to reopen,” the department wrote in its pitch to the board.

School nutrition staff worked in schools, even during the pandemic.

In a prepared statement, board Vice Chairman Alan Duncan said “They worked every day on the front lines, preparing, serving and, in some cases, delivering meals to students.”

Pay for school nutrition workers can vary by district, job title and experience but those starting out can earn about $13 or less per hour.

The General Assembly earlier this year permitted using the $10 million, which come from the second federal stimulus package enacted late last year.

For the second federal stimulus, the board also authorized plans to spend $40 million on summer bridge programs, and $26 million toward in-person career-focused programs during the summer. For both projects, the General Assembly has already appropriated the money.

North Carolina received $1.6 billion in the second federal stimulus package passed late last year.

The state received $3.6 billion in the third federal stimulus package passed early this year, the American Rescue Plan. At least 20% of which must be used for “learning recovery.”

On Thursday, the board approved a committee of stakeholders to help the state complete its plan to use that third round of funding and revise it over the course of the next three years.

North Carolina is one of 17 states that doesn’t yet have an approved plan for spending American Rescue Plan dollars.

DPI officials have said the lack of a state budget is partially to blame, as the General Assembly must sign off on the use of the money. The General Assembly has authorized uses for a limited amount of the funds.

The state has also been working to meet with enough stakeholders to meet federal requirements.

The American Rescue Plan calls for including numerous people from disadvantaged backgrounds to be consulted during the planning process.

So the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction put together an outline for committee membership going forward. Those members will include: six stakeholders or advocates for children with greater needs; four teachers; two principals or other school leaders; two superintendents; three parents, including one of a child with disabilities; two students; two members of local school boards; four members from Civil Rights and educational unions or organizations; one representative of the Charter Schools Advisory Board; two charter school leaders; and one member of the State Advisory Council on Indian Education.

The board also authorized spending for one disadvantaged groups — students who are homeless.

In 2018-19, North Carolina counted nearly 35,000 students who were homeless.

The board approved 58 grants to school districts for $3.9 million and “mini-grants” to 19 school districts and 36 charter school for $668,000. The funds are intended to supplement existing efforts to help students who are homeless.

That accounts for most of the $5.9 million the state received in the first round of American Rescue Plan funds for targeting students who are homeless, part of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program. The state received another $17.7 million in late July in American Rescue plan funds for expanded efforts, supporting all interventions — existing or new — for students who are homeless.

The board also gave the OK to a policy outlining how school districts can spend the $20 million the North Carolina General Assembly set aside of the American Rescue Plan to ensure that every district receive at least $400 per student.

Districts received widely varying amounts of money per pupil under the federal stimulus packages because districts with more higher poverty students were given more money.