District Meal Policy

Attala County School District Child Nutrition Payment and Charge Policy (ACSB Policy JGHRD) The Attala County School District recognizes that healthy, nutritious meals are an important component to student readiness and ability to learn. In addition, Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 210.10 (a)(1) General Nutrition Requirements states “Schools must provide nutritious and well-balanced meals to all the children they serve.” In accordance with this regulation, the Attala County School district will not deny any student access to school lunch. However, by statute, the district’s Food and Nutritional Services department is a self-supporting fund that shall not have a negative balance at the close of a fiscal year. Unpaid charges place a financial strain on the Food and Nutritional Services department and on the district’s operating budges. To be fair and equitable and in order to ensure compliance of all who participate in the school meal program, the policy establishes procedures for methods of payment, charge availability and collection methods. Method of Payment The Attala County School District will accept pre-payment of school meals in the form of cash or check at the register or via the school meal online payment center, mySchoolBucks.com. Students are also allowed to prepay for meals when cashiers come by the classrooms to obtain advance payments. Cash or check for a daily meal will also be accepted at the register. Student Accounts Any student whose school meal account has a zero or negative balance will be allowed to charge a reimbursable meal. A “reimbursable meal” is defined as a meal consisting of at least three (3) of the five (5) offered meal components (grain, meat or meat alternative, fruit, vegetable and milk) and must include a fruit and/or vegetable component. This will result in a negative balance on the student’s account until funds are added to the student’s account. Under no circumstances will a student with a negative account balance be allowed to purchase extra items until the student’s account is in good standing. “Good standing” for the purchase of extra items is defined as an account with a positive balance. For Students with Free Lunch Status The federal school lunch program allows a qualifying student to receive a free school lunch every day. Students are required to take a reimbursable meal. Extra items sold are not part of the USDA program and must be paid for with cash. Extra items cannot be charged. For Students with Reduced Price Lunch Status The federal school lunch program allows a qualifying student to receive a reimbursable meal at the reduced price of $0.30 at breakfast and $0.40 at lunch. Students are required to take a reimbursable meal. Extra items sold are not part of the USDA program and must be paid for with cash. Extra items cannot be charged. Students with reduced price lunch status will be allowed to charge reimbursable meals up to $4.00 before the collection process begins. For Students with Paid Lunch Status Prices for school lunch are set by the Attala County School District in accordance with federal and state regulations. Extra items cannot be charged but may be purchased with cash. Students with paid lunch status may chare reimbursable meals up to $10.00 before the collection process begins. The Collection Process Step 1: When the charge amount exceeds the amounts set above, the Food and Nutritional Services Manager or designee will send a letter or text/call to the parent(s)/guardian(s) requesting immediate payment. Contact will be made on a weekly basis at minimum. Free/Reduced Lunch Application Forms will be sent home by student if one is not on file. Step 2: If the parent(s)/guardian(s) has not made any payments in an effort to reduce the negative balance or fails to bring the student’s account in good standing within thirty(30) days, administration will be notified and will have the option to notify appropriate state agencies. Step 3: If a student’s account balance exceeds- $30.00, the administration may prohibit participation by the student in any future fee-based program (field trips, user-fee based programs, etc.) until or unless the de the deficit balance is paid in full. Additional Steps If a student’s account is not in good standing at the end of the school year, the administration may take one or more of the following actions, unless or until prohibited by state law or regulation: -Delay the issuance of report cards, transfer cards, and class assignments until or unless the negative or delinquent balance is paid in full. -Prohibit the student’s participation or other students in the student’s household from participating in any future fee or charge-based program until or unless the negative or delinquent balance is paid in full. -Notify appropriate state agencies. -If a senior’s account is not in good standing as of May 1st, the administration may prohibit the student from participation in senior activities and/or graduation exercises. Negative Balances At the end of the school year, any inactive students with money left in their accounts will be encouraged to donate the money to the school district. This money will be applied to students with negative balances. After these efforts are made, any negative balances will be carried over to the next school year. This will allow parents to be on an extended payment plan while debt is being collected. Collection efforts will continue until student is in good standing. This Agency is an Equal Opportunity Provider