Beverly food service director outlines rising participation, 'C district' status and supply challenges
April 30, 2026 | Beverly Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts
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Christina Le, Beverly Public Schools’ director of food services, told the Finance & Facilities subcommittee on April 29 that the district’s school meals programs participate in federal and state reimbursement programs and that Beverly currently qualifies as a "C district" under the community eligibility provision.
Le said the community eligibility change (thresholds lowered after the pandemic) means all students receive meals without direct charge through 2028 under the district’s current certification cycle. She reported district-wide participation gains: breakfast participation is about 21% (up year over year) and lunch participation is 63.4%, a 3.3 percentage-point increase versus the prior year; the district serves nearly 3,000 lunches per day. "Cove School has a breakfast participation of 32.7%," Le added, highlighting localized gains.
Le outlined program financing: food service is a revolving account supported by federal/state reimbursements and entitlement funds; surplus built during the COVID-era high participation allowed recent capital purchases (e.g., new walk-in fridge/freezer) without tapping central capital funds. She also described operational constraints: rising food and labor costs, product shortages, insurance and equipment maintenance increases, and stringent procurement rules that require following the most restrictive of federal or state procurement standards, including "Buy American" provisions.
The committee praised improved meal quality and participation and asked whether federal reimbursement or entitlement funding is under pressure; Le said she has not seen a constriction in claims processing but noted national changes to SNAP and Medicaid could eventually affect direct-certification pathways in other districts. Le said the district plans more scratch cooking, expansion of fresh fruit and vegetable programming and continued monitoring of food costs.
The subcommittee thanked Le and her staff for operations that feed roughly 3,000 students daily.
Le said the community eligibility change (thresholds lowered after the pandemic) means all students receive meals without direct charge through 2028 under the district’s current certification cycle. She reported district-wide participation gains: breakfast participation is about 21% (up year over year) and lunch participation is 63.4%, a 3.3 percentage-point increase versus the prior year; the district serves nearly 3,000 lunches per day. "Cove School has a breakfast participation of 32.7%," Le added, highlighting localized gains.
Le outlined program financing: food service is a revolving account supported by federal/state reimbursements and entitlement funds; surplus built during the COVID-era high participation allowed recent capital purchases (e.g., new walk-in fridge/freezer) without tapping central capital funds. She also described operational constraints: rising food and labor costs, product shortages, insurance and equipment maintenance increases, and stringent procurement rules that require following the most restrictive of federal or state procurement standards, including "Buy American" provisions.
The committee praised improved meal quality and participation and asked whether federal reimbursement or entitlement funding is under pressure; Le said she has not seen a constriction in claims processing but noted national changes to SNAP and Medicaid could eventually affect direct-certification pathways in other districts. Le said the district plans more scratch cooking, expansion of fresh fruit and vegetable programming and continued monitoring of food costs.
The subcommittee thanked Le and her staff for operations that feed roughly 3,000 students daily.
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