704 - Free or Reduced Price Meals Eligibility
704 - Free or Reduced Price Meals EligibilityAUXILIARY SERVICES
Series 700
Policy Title: Free or Reduced-Price Meals Eligibility Code No.: 704
Students enrolled and attending school in the school district, who meet the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) eligibility guidelines, will be provided school nutrition program services at no cost or at a reduced price. The school district will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of students who are eligible for free and reduced-priced meals.
The district shall annually notify all families of the availability, eligibility criteria, and application procedures for free or reduced-price meals in accordance with state and federal law.
It shall be the responsibility of the Food Service Director to determine the eligibility of students for free or reduced-priced school nutrition programs, in accordance with criteria established by state and federal law. If school personnel have knowledge of a student who is in needs of free or reduced-price meals, school personnel should contact the Food Service Director. Employees, students not qualified for free meals and others will be required to pay for meals consumed.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop administrative regulations for implementing this policy.
Date of Adoption/Review/Revision:
July 1979
August 21, 1990
August 1992
August 1995
June 1999
June 2001
June 2004
July 2007
July 2010
August 2013
August 2017
October 2021
AUXILIARY SERVICES
Series 700
Policy Title: Eligibility for Meals at a Reduced Cost Regulation Code No.: 704.1
Procedures for provision of free or reduced-price meals:
- For the purpose of these guidelines, a meal served at forty (40) cents or less is a reduced-price meal.
- Type A meals meeting established nutritional requirements shall be served at a free or reduced-price to students who are determined to be economically needy according to guidelines contained herein.
- No physical segregation of or other discrimination against any student participating in the reduced-price meal program shall be made because of his/her participation in the program.
- These guidelines are to be used uniformly in all attendance units in this district in determining the eligibility of students for reduced-price meals.
- The Food Service Director shall determine which students are eligible for reduced-price meals under guidelines provided by the Bureau of Food and Nutrition.
- The names of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals will not be published, posted or announced in any manner to other students, and these students will not be required, as a condition of receiving free or reduced-price meals to:
-
- Use a separate lunchroom.
- Go through a separate serving line.
- Enter the lunchroom through a separate entrance.
- Eat lunch at a different time than paying students.
- Work for their meal.
- Use a different medium of exchange in the lunchroom than paying students use.
- Eat a different meal than paying students.
Date of Adoption/Review/Revision:
August 23, 1990
August 21,1991
August 1992
August 1995
August 1998
June 2001
June 2004
July 2007
July 2010
August 2013
September 2016
October 2021
704.1 - Eligibility for Meals at a Reduced Cost Regulation
704.1 - Eligibility for Meals at a Reduced Cost RegulationAUXILIARY SERVICES
Series 700
Policy Title: Eligibility for Meals at a Reduced Cost Regulation Code No.: 704.1
Procedures for provision of free or reduced-price meals:
- For the purpose of these guidelines, a meal served at forty (40) cents or less is a reduced-price meal.
- Type A meals meeting established nutritional requirements shall be served at a free or reduced-price to students who are determined to be economically needy according to guidelines contained herein.
- No physical segregation of or other discrimination against any student participating in the reduced-price meal program shall be made because of his/her participation in the program.
- These guidelines are to be used uniformly in all attendance units in this district in determining the eligibility of students for reduced-price meals.
- The Food Service Director shall determine which students are eligible for reduced-price meals under guidelines provided by the Bureau of Food and Nutrition.
- The names of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals will not be published, posted or announced in any manner to other students, and these students will not be required, as a condition of receiving free or reduced-price meals to:
-
- Use a separate lunchroom.
- Go through a separate serving line.
- Enter the lunchroom through a separate entrance.
- Eat lunch at a different time than paying students.
- Work for their meal.
- Use a different medium of exchange in the lunchroom than paying students use.
- Eat a different meal than paying students.
Date of Adoption/Review/Revision:
August 23, 1990
August 21,1991
August 1992
August 1995
August 1998
June 2001
June 2004
July 2007
July 2010
August 2013
September 2016
October 2021
704.2 - Meal Charges
704.2 - Meal ChargesAuxiliary Services
700 Series
Policy Title: Meal Charges
Code No. : 704.2
MEAL CHARGES
In accordance with state and federal law, the Carroll 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 (based on eligibility Paid, Reduced, Free):
Students have use of a meal account that is to be prepaid before meal service begins. Families may add to their student accounts through electronic payment on the parent portal of Infinite Campus or by paying at the student’s school office.
Employees may purchase meals, but may not charge meals once there is a $0 balance to this account. When an employee 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 in full.
Negative Account Balances:
The school district will make reasonable efforts to notify families when meal account balances are low. Additionally, the district will make reasonable efforts to collect unpaid meal charges classified as delinquent debt. The district will coordinate communications with the student’s parent or guardian to resolve the matter of unpaid charges.
Full Paid Meal Accounts – when the balance reaches -$10.00 a student may no longer charge a la carte or extra entrees. If a student presents their tray with an extra entrée or a la carte items on it and their account is at -$10.00 or more they will be allowed to keep that extra entrée one time and the parents will be notified. If no money is deposited into their account and they order an extra entrée again, the second entrée will be removed from their tray. If the student tries to purchase a la carte and their account is -$10.00 or more they will have to return the items back to the a la carte rack. If this happens the parent will receive a phone call that afternoon.
When a full paid meal account reaches -$40.00 a student may no longer eat breakfast, however, 5 additional lunch meals may be charged to this account. When an account reaches -$55.00, your student will not be allowed to eat lunch at school and you will need to send a sack lunch. If you are in a situation where you need financial assistance please contact the food service department.
Reduced Priced Meal Accounts – when the balance reaches -$10.00 this student may no longer charge a la carte or extra entrees. If a student presents their tray with an extra entrée on it and their account is at -$10.00 or more they will be allowed to keep that extra entrée one time and the parents will be notified. If no money is deposited into their account and they order an extra entrée again, the second entrée will be removed from their tray. If the student tries to purchase a la carte and their account is -$10.00 or more they will have to return the items back to the a la carte rack. If this happens the parent will receive a phone call that afternoon.
Students with outstanding meal charge debt shall be allowed to purchase a meal if the student pays for the meal when it is received (cash in hand).
Free Status Meal Accounts – if a student has a ZERO balance in their meal account and qualifies for free breakfast and free lunch they are not allowed to charge a la carte or extra entrees. If a student presents their tray with an extra entrée on it and their account has a ZERO balance they will be allowed to keep that extra entrée one time and the parents will be notified. If no money is deposited into their account and they order an extra entrée again, the second entrée will be removed from their tray. If the student tries to purchase a la carte and their account has a ZERO balance or less they will have to return the items back to the a la carte rack. If this happens the parent will receive a phone call that afternoon.
Students who qualify for free or reduced price meals shall never be denied a reimbursable meal, even if they have accrued a negative balance from previous purchases.
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.
Date of Adoption/Review/Revision
July 2017
February 2020
September 2021
October 2021
March 2024