Almost forty percent of the nation's school cafeterias did not get the federally required two inspections last year, according to an analysis by the Associated Press. The inspection requirements, which were bumped from one to two annually for the first time in the 2005-06 school year, apply to all schools that participate in the federal school lunch program.
In fact, one in 10 didn't get inspected at all last year, according to the Agriculture Department data the AP used.
The reason? Responsible state and local health authorities are reportedly severely understaffed in some areas, and Congress didn't provide any funding when it doubled the inspection requirement.