Code No.: 701.7
Page 1 of 2
MEAL CHARGES
In accordance with state and federal law, the Anamosa 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 $0.00 a student may charge no more than $10.00 to this account.
- When an account reaches the $10.00 limit, the student will not be allowed to charge a reimbursable meal.
- The student will be provided an alternate meal (sandwich, choice of fruit or vegetable, and milk) that will be charged to their account ($1.50/meal) until the negative balance is paid or a repayment plan has been arranged and is being followed.
- When a balance is $0.00 or below a student will not be allowed to charge additional ala carte items.
Money may be added to a student’s account by paying at the school office or electronically through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
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.
Employees have use of a meal account, but will not be allowed to charge meals or a la carte items. An employee must have sufficient funds or cash to make a purchase.
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 $10.00. Families will be notified by the district’s automated calling system and/or letters sent home.
Negative balances of more than $50.00, not having an agreed upon repayment plan, not paid prior to the end of the quarter 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.
Code No. 701.7
Page 2 of 2
MEAL CHARGES
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.
Approved 6/19/17
