The Administrative Review. It sounds so bureaucratic and mild, and yet it regularly inspires a great deal of stress on the part of school nutrition directors, with anxiety trickling down to their staff. One thing that feeds this on-the-job stress is lack of information. The more you know and understand, the better you will feel about the process and your responsibilities in it because, make no mistake, each of you does have an important role to play! The formal Administrative Review (AR) may be conducted only periodically, but actions that you take every day in your work as school nutrition professionals will impact your district’s performance in this evaluation.

Why All the Fuss?

Beginning in the 1980s, Congress required USDA to conduct periodic reviews of all school districts participating in the federal school meals programs to ensure they are following program rules and to confirm that the funds Congress authorizes to pay for school meals are being used effectively. Considering that the federal government budgets more than $20 billion each year for school meal programs, it isn’t unreasonable for Congress to insist on some oversight!...