In accordance with state and federal law, the Central City Community School District adopts the following policy to ensure school district employees, families, and students have a shared understanding of expectations regarding meal charges. The policy seeks to allow students to receive the nutrition they need to stay focused during the school day, prevent the overt identification of students with insufficient funds to pay for school meals, and maintain the financial integrity of the nonprofit school nutrition program.
Payment of Meals
Students have use of a meal account. Notices will be sent to parents when the account reaches $10.00. Students who have a balance below $0.00 will NOT be allowed to charge 2nds or A La Carte items. Student meal accounts may be paid via check or cash directly to the Food Services Department or dropped off in either office. Electronic payments may be paid through the PayForIt system.
Students who qualify for free meals shall never be denied a reimbursable meal, even if they have accrued a negative balance from previous purchases. Students with outstanding meal charge debt shall be allowed to purchase a meal at the Point of Sale. If an alternate meal is provided, the meal must be the same meal presented in the same manner to any student requesting an alternate meal.
Employees may use a charge account for meals, but may charge no more than $25.00 to this account. When an account reaches this limit, an employee shall not be allowed to charge further meals or a la carte items until the negative account balance is paid.
Negative Account Balances
The school district will make reasonable efforts to notify families when meal account balances are low. Additionally, the school district will make reasonable efforts to collect unpaid meal charges classified as delinquent debt. The school district will coordinate communications with families to resolve the matter of unpaid charges. Families will be notified of an outstanding negative balance once the negative balance reaches $25.00. Low balance notices will be sent when the account reaches $10.00. Families will be notified in multiple ways: Paper low and minus balances are sent home with students each week, if we have a current email address, notices are emailed to parents every Wednesday, parents may also check the Power School system at any time to see a balance. Negative balances of more than $50.00, not paid prior to the end of the school year will be turned over to the superintendent or superintendent’s designee for collection. Options may include: collection agencies, small claims court, or any other legal method permitted by law.
Unpaid Student Meals Account
The district will establish an unpaid student meals account in a school nutrition fund. Funds from private sources and funds from the district flexibility account may be deposited into the unpaid school meals account in accordance with law. Funds deposited into this account shall be used only to pay individual student meal debt.
Notification:
If a student owes for five or more meals, school personnel may contact the student’s parent or guardian to provide information about applying for free or reduced-price meals or other assistance available via a letter sent home to the parent or guardian, via phone call or via electronic means.
Communication of the Policy
The policy and supporting information regarding meal charges shall be provided in writing to:
- All households at or before the start of each school year
- Students and families who transfer into the district, at time of transfer, and
- All staff responsible for enforcing any aspect of the policy.
Records of how and when the policy and supporting information was communicated to households and staff will be retained.
The superintendent may develop an administrative process to implement this policy.
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
7 C.F.R. §§ 210 et seq.
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 46-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies (2016).
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 47-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Clarification on Collection of Delinquent Meal Payments (2016).
U.S. Dep’t of Agric., SP 57-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&A (2016).
Iowa Code 283A.
281 I.A.C. 58.
Cross Reference: 710.1 School Food Program
710.2 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility
710.3 Vending Machine
Approved: 6/28/17
Reviewed: 11/27/18
Revised: 6/24/20
