Robert Treat Academy Charter School, Inc.

Implementation Date: August, 2015

Offer versus serve (OVS) is a policy for reimbursable meals that allows students to decline a certain number of food components in the meal in order to reduce plate waste and food cost.

A school breakfast eligible for federal reimbursement shall offer four (4) food items from the three (3) food components in the appropriate amounts per grade grouping:

• Fruit or  vegetable or  juice,
• Milk,
• Grains ( Including optional meat/meat alternate)

Students are allowed to decline one (1) of the four (4) items offered, but must select at least ½ cup of either fruit (or fruit combination) or a ½ cup of vegetable (or vegetable combination) or ½ cup of a fruit /vegetable combination.

The student’s decision to accept all four (4) food items or to decline one (1) food item shall not affect the price charged for the meal.  The breakfast is priced as a unit.  If children do not choose enough food items to comprise a reimbursable meal, a la carte prices will be charged.

School staff cannot make exceptions to the policy, such as requiring every child to take a particular food component. It is the student’s choice to select any three or all four food items of the reimbursable meal.

At each school implementing the Offer versus Serve Policy, school food service staff will be trained annually.

Offer versus Serve will be implemented in all schools

Implementation Date:  August, 2015

Offer versus serve (OVS) is a policy for reimbursable meals that allows students to decline a certain number of food components in the meal in order to reduce plate waste and food cost.

A school lunch eligible for federal reimbursement shall offer five (5) food components in the appropriate amounts per grade grouping:

• Fruit,
• Vegetable,
• Milk,
• Grain and
• Meat/Meat Alternate.

Students are allowed to decline two (2) of the five (5) required food components, but must select at least ½ cup of either fruit (or fruit combination) or a ½ cup of vegetable (or vegetable combination) or ½ cup of a fruit /vegetable combination.

After selecting the ½ cup fruit or vegetable requirement, students must select at least two (2) additional full components in the full amounts (per age/grade grouping required amounts) to count toward the reimbursable offer versus serve meal.

The student’s decision to accept all five (5) food components or to decline two (2) food components shall not affect the price charged for the meal.  The lunch is price as a unit.  If children do not choose enough food items to comprise a reimbursable meal, a la carte prices will be charged.

School staff cannot make exceptions to the policy, such as requiring every child to take a particular food component. It is the student’s choice to select any three, four or all five components of the reimbursable meal.

At each school implementing the Offer versus Serve Policy, school food service staff will be trained annually.

Offer versus Serve will be implemented in all Schools

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement 2022 (English Translation)

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
   program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.