Amanda Burmeister requested review of a determination by New Opportunities, Inc., a home sponsor for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), proposing termination of her agreement to participate in the CACFP program and disqualification from future CACFP participation.CACFP is a federal program that provides reimbursement for the cost of meals and snacks provided to children in daycare homes and centers. The program is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Iowa Department of Education's Bureau of Nutrition Programs.

Daycare homes participating in CACFP, such as Ms. Burmeister's, must be supervised by a public or private nonprofit sponsoring organization. To participate, a child care home provider must possess a certification of registration from the Iowa Department of Human Services authorizing operation as a child care home, and must sign an agreement with the sponsoring organization setting out the terms and conditions of program participation.

All participating day care homes must maintain daily records of the number of children in attendance and the number of meals, by type, served to enrolled children. The records are to be completed daily. The USDA regulations governing CACFP designate the failure to keep required records as a serious deficiency in program compliance.

The evidence presented amply supports a finding that Ms. Burmeister failed to permanently and completely correct the seriously deficient practice of failure to maintain adequate records within the time allowed.

CACFP is funded by public monies; therefore, a provider is required to be accountable to the public for how she operates. When such accountability is lacking, the public trust is gone and the sponsor is required to take appropriate action.

The proposed termination of Amanda Burmeister from the Child and Adult Care Food Program is hereby upheld.