Policy 5580 – Meals and Refreshments

Travel Outside of District/Emergency Meetings

District officials and employees are entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. However, meals of public officers and employees generally should not be reimbursed or paid by the District unless the officer or employee is traveling outside his or her regular work area on official business for an extended period of time, or where events prevent them from taking off during mealtime for food consumption because of a pressing need to complete business. All requests for reimbursement must document who attended the meetings and how the meetings fit these conditions

Staff or Board Meetings and District Events

The Board recognizes that at certain times it may be appropriate to provide meals and/or refreshments at District meetings and/or events, which are being held for an educational purpose.  Prior approval of the Superintendent or designee must be obtained for food and beverages provided at meetings or activities which will be charged to the District.

Any such expenditure must be appropriately documented with an itemized receipt and information showing the date and purpose of the meeting, food served, who attended the meetings and why the attendees needed food and/or refreshments to conduct District business. These requirements must be met for meals/refreshments provided by the school lunch fund or local vendors, charged to District credit cards, and/or reimbursed to a District official.

In no case will the costs for meals exceed the current federal per diem meal rates for the geographic area.

NOTE: Refer also to Policy 5590 – Expense Reimbursement for Travel Expenses

Adopted: 02/09/06
Revised: 11/17/22