ABEC-AP: School Meal Charge Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish consistent district practices for managing learner meal accounts, providing school meals, and addressing unpaid meal charges. West Fargo Public Schools recognizes that proper nutrition is essential to learning and is committed to ensuring that all learners have access to healthy meals while maintaining fair and responsible financial practices
Adults
Adults and staff are prohibited from charging meals. Meals for adults and staff must be paid in full at the time of purchase by cash, check, or prepaid deposits through the district’s payment system.
Dissemination
The Superintendent shall ensure that this policy is posted on the district’s website and provided in writing to all parents/guardians at the beginning of each school year. The policy must also be provided to families transferring into the district mid-year, and to all staff members who are responsible for meal service or enforcement of this policy. The District may use additional methods to communicate the policy to families throughout the school year.
Payment Options
Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that funds are available in their learner’s meal account or for pre-paying for meals to avoid unpaid charges. The District provides multiple payment options for learner meal accounts, including online payments through MySchoolBucks, which allow parents to make secure deposits, set up auto-payments, and monitor balances, as well as cash or check payments at the learner’s school. Parents are encouraged to pre-pay for meals to avoid account shortages.
Provision of Meals to Learners with Insufficient Funds
Learners requesting a reimbursable meal will not be denied one due to a lack of funds in their account. An alternative meal will not be served in place of a reimbursable meal. Once a meal has been served, it may not be taken away or disposed of due to insufficient funds. Learners with negative account balances may not purchase a la carte or extra items such as additional entrées, snacks, or bottled beverages. These items may only be purchased if adequate funds are available in the account. A learner’s participation in academic or extracurricular activities, graduation ceremonies, field trips, athletics, activity clubs, or access to instructional materials and technology will not be restricted due to unpaid meal charges. Learners will not be required to perform work or provide services to repay meal debt.
Payment Reminders
When a learner’s account balance is low or negative, parents/guardians will receive notifications at least twice per week by electronic message (email or text). These notifications will include the account balance and a link to the Free and Reduced Meal application. In addition, the district may notify parents/guardians by phone call, sealed letter, or other appropriate means. Letters must not be distributed to learners in a manner that stigmatizes them. If unpaid charges persist, building administrators may make direct contact with parents/guardians and encourage them to complete a Free and Reduced Meal application if the family may be eligible.
Unpaid Meal Charges
Parents/guardians are expected to pay all meal charges within thirty (30) days of notification. Unpaid charges may be carried forward into the next school year. If balances remain unpaid after repeated notifications, the District may refer the account to the Business Office for collection action. The District may also use non-federal or charitable funds to offset unpaid meal charges and related collection costs if necessary.
Balances and Refunds
Positive account balances will automatically be carried forward into the next school year. When a learner graduates or withdraws from the District, parents/guardians may request a refund of the remaining balance, transfer the balance to a sibling’s account, or donate the funds to assist other learners in need. All requests for refunds should be made prior to June 1 of the recently completed school year. Funds remaining in inactive accounts after that time may be placed into a donation account to support learners in need.
Free and Reduced Meal Applications
Free and Reduced Meal Applications are available throughout the school year on the District website and at school offices in both electronic and paper form. Families needing assistance with the application process may contact Nutrition Services at 701-499-1984. Balances incurred prior to the approval of a Free and Reduced Meal Application remain the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
Food Service Practices
The District will take all reasonable steps to protect learners from stigmatization based on meal account status. Learners will not be identified in the cafeteria or classroom as having unpaid meal charges, nor will their meals be publicly denied or altered. The District will not dispose of or take away a meal once it has been served to a learner.
Compliance with Law
This policy complies with federal requirements for unpaid meal charge policies, including the United States Department of Agriculture regulations, and with North Dakota Century Code § 15.1-07-38 as amended by House Bill 1494.
Adopted: 8/28/25
Reviewed:
Revised: