Lunch hour aides monitor student activities and behavior on the playground and in the cafeteria during student lunch periods. Duties include:

• Monitoring and supervising elementary students on the playground and during lunch periods.
• Supervising playground/recreational activities, including the individual use of equipment and participation in group games.
• Maintaining order and decorum in the cafeteria and reinforcing student manners, eating habits, and cleanup procedures.
• Enforcing safety rules, behavior standards, and school playground/cafeteria policies.
• Providing for students' emergency first aid needs during recess and lunch periods.

While other staff members could provide the service of lunch hour aides, the lunch hour is the time when other staff members are provided their duty free lunch period and planning time. As a result, other staff cannot assume these responsibilities.

A request for staffing data from surrounding school systems was made and to date only Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has provided information. According to the FCPS budget office, temporary part-time salaries funds are allocated to each elementary school for dining room assistants. The allocation formula used by FCPS provides the following:

The budget savings as a result of eliminating these positions, including employee benefits is $4,688,989.