In accordance with state and federal law, the Bennett 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. When the balance reaches -$10.00 a student may charge no more seconds of main offered to this account. When an account reaches -$20.00, a student shall not be allowed to charge further meals or a la carte items until the negative account balance is paid. Families may add money to student accounts by payment at school office.
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 if the student pays for the meal when it is received. The school district may provide an alternate meal that meets federal and state requirements to students who have charged the maximum allowance to the student account and cannot pay out of pocket for a meal.
Employees may use a charge account for meals, but may charge no more than -$20.00 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 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 every Wednesday of the month. Negative balances of more than $50.00, not paid prior to the end of the month, will be turned over to the superintendent or superintendent’s designee for collection. Options for collection may include: collection agencies, small claims court, or any other legal method permitted by law.
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 were 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. Dept of Agric, SP 46-2016, Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies (2016).
U.S. Dept. of Agric., SP57-2016, Unpaid Meal Charles: 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: 5-8-17
Reviewed: 5-8-17
Revised: 5-8-17
