POLICY #534 UNPAID MEAL CHARGES

Adopted:     2-25-11                                                                          MSBA/MASA Model Policy 534

                                                                                                                                           Orig. 2017

Revised:       7-19-19 , 7-21-21                                                                                                        Rev. 2019

534      UNPAID MEAL CHARGES

I.          PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that students receive healthy and nutritious meals through the school district’s nutrition program and that school district employees, families, and students have a shared understanding of expectations regarding meal charges.  The policy of the school district is to provide meals to students in a respectful manner and to maintain the dignity of students by prohibiting lunch shaming or otherwise ostracizing the student. The policy seeks to allow students to receive the nutrition they need to stay focused during the school day and minimize identification of students with insufficient funds to pay for school meals as well as to maintain the financial integrity of the school nutrition program.

II.        PAYMENT OF MEALS

A.        All meal purchases are to be prepaid before meal service begins.  Payment may be made online through the Infinite Campus Parents Portal or be mailed/dropped off in the Food Service or District Office.  A student who does not have sufficient funds will not be allowed to charge meals or a la carte items until additional money is deposited in the student’s account.

B.         If the school district receives school lunch aid under Minn. Stat. § 124D.111, it must make lunch available without charge to all participating students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals regardless of account balance.

C.        A student with an outstanding meal charge debt will be allowed to purchase a meal if the student pays for the meal when it is received.

D.        A student who has been determined to be eligible for free and reduced-price lunch always must be served a reimbursable meal even if the student has an outstanding debt.

E.         Once a meal has been placed on a student’s tray or otherwise served to a student, the meal may not be subsequently withdrawn from the student by the cashier or other school official, whether or not the student has an outstanding meals balance.

F.         The school district may provide an alternate meal that meets federal and state requirements to a student who does not have sufficient funds in the student’s account or cannot pay cash for a meal.  The school district will accommodate special dietary needs with respect to alternate meals.  The cost of the alternative meal.50 cents will be charged to the student’s account or otherwise charged to the student.

G.        When a student has a negative account balance, the student will not be allowed to charge a snack item.

H.        If a parent or guardian chooses to send in one payment that is to be divided between sibling accounts, the parent or guardian must specify how the funds are to be distributed to the students’ accounts.  Funds may not be transferred between sibling accounts unless written permission is received from the parent or guardian.

III.       LOW OR NEGATIVE ACCOUNT BALANCES – NOTIFICATION

  1.  a notice will be sent electronically to the parent or legal guardian.
  • When an account has a $0 balance, a notice will again be sent to the parent or legal guardian by electronic notification.

            C.        Families will be notified of an outstanding negative balance once the negative balance reaches $10.   Families will be notified electronically and by mail.  A modified meal will be made available to the student in lieu of the regular meal.  A modified meal will be defined a s a meat or cheese sandwich and a carton of milk.  The cost of the modified meal will be .50 cents per day/meal

D        A modified meal will continue to be made available to the student until the balance is paid in full.

E.       Reminders for payment of outstanding student meal balances will not demean or stigmatize any student participating in the school lunch program including, but not limited to, dumping meals, withdrawing a meal that has been served, announcing or listing students’ names publically, or affixing stickers, stamps, or pins.

IV.       UNPAID MEAL CHARGES

            A.        The school district will make reasonable efforts to communicate with families to resolve the matter of unpaid charges. Where appropriate, families may be      encouraged to apply for free and reduced-price meals for their children.

            B.         The school district will make reasonable efforts to collect unpaid meal charges   classified as delinquent debt.  Unpaid meal charges are designated as delinquent       debt when payment is overdue, the debt is considered collectable, and efforts          are being made to collect it.

C.        Negative balances of more than $10,not paid prior to the end of the school yearwill be turned over to the superintendent or superintendent’s designee for collection. In some instances, the school district does use a collection agency to collect unpaid school meal debts after reasonable efforts first have been made by the school district to collect the debt.  Collection options may include, but are not limited to, use of collection agencies, claims in the conciliation court, or any other legal method permitted by law.

D.        The school district may not enlist the assistance of non-school district employees, such as volunteers, to engage in debt collection efforts.

E.         The school district will not impose any other restriction prohibited under Minnesota. Statutes. Section 123B.37 due to unpaid student meal balances.  The school district will not limit a student’s participation in any school activities, graduation ceremonies, field trips, athletics, activity clubs or other extra c+6.urricular activities or access to materials, technology, or other items provided to students due to an unpaid student meal balances. any student the opportunity to participate in graduation ceremonies or other commencement activities due to unpaid meal charges.

V.        COMMUNICATION OF POLICY

A.        This policy and any pertinent supporting information shall be provided in writing (i.e., mail, email, back-to-school packet, student handbook, etc.) to:

            1.         all households at or before the start of each school year;

                                    2.         students and families who transfer into the school district, at the time of enrollment; and

                        3.         all school district personnel who are responsible for enforcing this policy.

B        The school district may post the policy on the school district’s website, in addition          to providing the required written notification described above.

  • If the school district contracts with a third party for its meal services, it will provide the vendor with its school meal policy.  The school district will ensure that any third-party provider with whom the school district entered into either an original or modified contract after July 1, 2021 adheres to the school district’s school meals policy.

Legal References:      Minn. Stat. § 124D.111, Subd. 4

                                                            42 U.S.C. § 1751 et seq. (Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act)

                                                            7 C.F.R. § 210 et seq. (School Lunch Program Regulations)

                                                            7 C.F.R. § 220.8 (School Breakfast Program Regulations)

                                                            USDA Policy Memorandum SP 46-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies (2016)

                                                            USDA Policy Memorandum SP 47-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Clarification on Collection of Delinquent Meal Payments (2016)

                                                            USDA Policy Memorandum SP 23-2017, Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&A

                                                            Minn. Op. Atty. Gen. 169j (May 14, 2019) (Letter to Ricker)