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Policy CAI - School Lunch: Unpaid Meal Charges

Policy CAI - School Lunch: Unpaid Meal Charges (PDF)

Issue Date: September 21, 2022

Board Policy

  1. The Juab School District Board of Education is committed to a school environment that enhances student learning and encourages parents/legal guardians to assist students to receive the nutrition needed to stay focused during the school day. As an integral part of this effort, the Board of Education is committed to participating in the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Because all students in participating schools of the FNS, NSLP, and SBP child nutrition programs may receive reimbursable school meals, a school district must have a school unpaid meal charge policy for students participating in school meal programs.   See, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Memo Code: SP-46-2016.
  2. The Board of Education expects school administrators and school nutrition employees to treat students with dignity and respect to minimize the identification of children with insufficient funds to pay for school meals. The Board of Education acknowledges the need to maintain the financial integrity of school food service accounts. School unpaid meal practices will be consistent and transparent.   Practices and procedures will be communicated to food professionals, school administrators, families, and students regarding reimbursable school meals.
  3. The Board authorizes the Superintendent to develop administrative regulations consistent with this policy, subject to review and approval by the Board.

Definitions

  1. Automated Meal Payment System: The District’s web-based system (ezschoolpay.com) which allows parents to deposit funds into their students’ meal accounts.
  2. Collection Efforts: Using a collection agency or other means in order to collect unpaid meal balances.
  3. Delinquent Account: A student’s meal fund account that does not have adequate funds to cover the meal charges.
  4. Free Meal: A meal served to a student whose parents have qualified, based on federal standards, to have their child receive free meals. A free meal, by definition, is served at no cost to the student.
  5. Non-Program Foods: A meal or food component which does not meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations and may not be claimed for payment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Examples include adult meals, extra milk separate meal components, non-enrolled children meals, classroom snacks, school community events, etc.
  6. Parent: A student’s parent, legal guardian, or person acting as the parent for school purposes.
  7. Paid Meal: A meal served to a student whose parents have not qualified for free or reduced-price meals. The parent must pay the lunch price charged by the District.
  8. Reduced Price Meal: A meal served to a student whose parents have qualified, based on federal standards, to have their child receive a reduced-priced meal. The cost for a reduced-price meal is $0.40 per lunch and $.0.30 per breakfast.
  9. Reimbursable Meal: A meal which meets the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations and may be claimed for payment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Delinquent Account Meal Charge Procedures

Procedures for Serving Students with Insufficient, Delinquent, or Negative Meal Account Balances

  1. The Nutrition Department staff will exercise sensitivity and confidentiality in serving students with insufficient or negative meal accounts. No District employee will subject a student to embarrassment or ridicule based on the balance in his or her meal accounts.
  2. If a student’s meal account is inadequate to pay for a meal, the school will provide a full meal to the student, and parents will be notified that the school may use collection efforts to pay for the provided meals.

Identification and Notification of Delinquent Accounts for all JSD Students (K-12).

  1. JSD Schools will identify student accounts that do not have an adequate balance to pay for student meals.
    1. When a student’s meal account balance indicates a negative balance (less than $0.00), the parent or legal guardian will receive an automated telephonic notice of the negative account balance.
      1. The telephonic notice will inform the parent/legal guardian of the negative account balance and inform them how to replenish the account and contact the school or nutrition department for more information.
      2. The telephonic notice will continue until the account is replenished and there is a positive balance in the account.
    2. If a student’s meal account balance shows a debt of ten dollars ($10.00) or more in the negative, the parent or legal guardian will receive an automated telephonic notice and a written notice (e.g., letter, e-mail, text message) from the nutrition department lunch clerk at the school.
      1. The written notice will inform parents of the negative account balance and provide information to bring the account current.
    3. If a student’s account balance shows a debt of thirty dollars or more ($30.00) in the negative, the parent or legal guardian will be contacted by the principal (elementary schools) or assistant administrator (secondary schools), or designated school staff as appropriate.
      1. The contact shall include information regarding the negative account balance and notification that the District may employ collection efforts if the debt is not paid by a specified date (30 days).
    4. Prior to sending any delinquent accounts to collections, a parent/legal guardian will receive a final notice.
  2. All communication about payments and negative account balances should be directed to parents. No district employee will ask students for meal payments nor ask them to remind their parents to send money for meal accounts.
  3. If a student repeatedly has no money in his or her meal account and no meals are sent from home for the students, school administrators will consider the circumstances in the home and may contact the district’s responsive services and/or child protective services.
  4. Parents are responsible for all collection fees attributable to the district’s reasonable efforts to collect overdue meal accounts, including any fees associated with the use of a collection agency.

Collection Procedure for Delinquent Accounts: Delinquent versus Bad-Debt

  1. Delinquent debt is the sum total of student unpaid meal account balances up to June 30 of the current year.
  2. Bad Debt is unpaid meal account balances on July 1 of the new fiscal year.
  3. On July 1, delinquent debt becomes bad debt. The school service account will be made whole through a payment from the school’s general fund no later than 60 days after closing the fiscal year.