PA Governor Rendell Announces Pilot Program to Improve Access to School Meal Programs
Posted on: Wednesday, 31 August 2005, 15:00 CDT
HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- PA Governor Edward Rendell today announced a pilot program that will make it easier for needy families to apply for the National School Lunch program at participating schools throughout the commonwealth.
"We know how important good nutrition is to learning," Governor Rendell said. "A good lunch can have a strong impact on student achievement, helping them to be more alert, focused and ready to learn."
"As a result, I directed the Departments of Education and Public Welfare to work together on this issue and come up with a solution that would improve access to school meal programs and make sure more children receive nutritional lunches," Governor Rendell said. "Agencies of government need to work together constantly to address and resolve issues that touch so many lives."
The Departments of Education and Public Welfare have joined together to improve access to school meal programs.
COMPASS -- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services -- is a Web-based system maintained by DPW that allows individuals and community based organizations to screen, apply, or renew a broad range of social services, including healthcare coverage, food stamp benefits and cash assistance.
Beginning this school year, 15 school districts will be part of a pilot program that will allow families to use COMPASS to apply for free and reduced price meals at the same time they are applying for other program benefits.
"Our best education efforts and initiatives can only be successful when the students are prepared physically and mentally to perform to their utmost potential," said Gerald L. Zahorchak, PDE's Executive Deputy Secretary. "Our commitment to supporting the students of Pennsylvania is not limited to direct academic assistance but also includes those things that create a true environment of learning."
"This program is a reflection of Governor Rendell's policy of greater collaboration across state agencies," said Department of Public Welfare Secretary Estelle Richman. "In an effort to more effectively manage those programs that provide critical services, all state agencies are looking for new ways to work together to solve difficult problems."
Additional advantages of using COMPASS for parents include: multiple language support; reduced travel and paperwork; a secure, private and confidential submission; and availability - COMPASS is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
School districts will benefit too. COMPASS will provide schools with an area to view, print and store submitted applications.
Districts were selected based on the number of low-income children. Schools with a high percentage of children eligible for free and reduced price meals are apt to gain the most from using COMPASS. A second consideration was a district's proximity to Harrisburg, as officials must travel to Harrisburg to attend training sessions. All program costs are covered by federal Child Nutrition Program administrative funds.
For more information on COMPASS, visit http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a list of the school districts that have been chosen to be part of the COMPASS Pilot Program:
Allentown City School District Armstrong School District Carlisle Area School District Chambersburg Area School District Conrad Weiser Area School District Cumberland Valley School District Harrisburg City School District Hempfield School District Lancaster School District Mechanicsburg Area School District Pottstown School District Reading School District Susquehanna Township School District Wayne Highlands School District Williamsport Area School District CONTACT: Kate Philips 717-783-1116
Pennsylvania Office of the Governor
CONTACT: Kate Philips, Pennsylvania Office of the Governor,+1-717-783-1116
Web site: http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/
Web site: http://www.state.pa.us/
Source: PRNewswire
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