Plan would save RCS funds 

While much has yet to be explored in terms of school funding, at least one aspect of Gov. Elliot Spitzer's proposed 2008-09 school year budget holds promise according to RCS Food Services Director George Dardani.

Dardani said the governor's proposal to increase funding under a healthy schools initiative by $9 million so "that all children now eligible for reduced price meals will be able to receive school meals at no cost.” 

Dardani said such a proposal would benefit students and families by ensuring that students - regardless of their families' economic situation - receive at least one healthy meal each day. At the same time, Dardani said it would benefit RCS by reducing the number of unpaid charges the district must write-off.

'When a student doesn't have the funds to pay for his or her portion of a meal after the price reduction, he or she charges it," said Dardani. "In many instances, we are unable to recoup those charges from the family."

The district charges students only 25 cents for a reduced cost meal and receives $2.28 from state and federal aid ($2.07 from the federal government and 21.5 cents from the state).

But additional costs are incurred by RCS in trying to recoup the charges - both in labor and supplies in generating charge slips and in postage in mailing the bills to parents, Dardani said.