Financial Management for School Nutrition Programs

Unpaid Meal Charges

The CSDE's Guide to Required Policy for Unpaid Meal Charges in the School Nutrition Programs addresses the federal and state requirements for local educational agencies (LEAs) that participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) to institute and clearly communicate a policy for unpaid meal charges. These requirements apply to all public schools that serve meals to students regardless of whether they participate in the NSLP and SBP. 

Payment of Delinquent Student Debts

The CSDE requires that households pay all delinquent student debts no later than June 30 to ensure that students’ accounts are closed. Any delinquent debts not recovered by June 30 will be considered bad debt. These student meal accounts must be at a zero balance for the next school year.

Required Policy for Unpaid Meal Charges

The USDA requires all SFAs to have a written and clearly communicated system to address meal charges (refer to USDA Memo SP 46-2016). SFAs must notify students and their parents or guardians about the impact of insufficient funds (either on hand or in the student's account) for students who pay the full or reduced-price cost of a reimbursable meal.

SFAs must provide the policy in writing to all households at the start of each school year and to households that transfer to the school during the school year. Additionally, SFAs are encouraged to include the policy in student handbooks and/or online portals used by households to access student accounts, and to provide the policy to a household again the first time it is applied to a specific student. SFAs are encouraged to use multiple methods to disseminate the policy. 


Connecticut Requirements for Unpaid Meal Charge Policy in Public Schools 

In addition to the USDA requirements, Section 10-215b of the Connecticut General Statues (C.G.S.) requires that each board of education’s (BOE) unpaid meal charge policy must include the three elements below.

  1. A prohibition on publicly identifying or shaming a child for any unpaid charges, including but not limited to delaying or refusing to serve a meal to the child, designating a specific meal option for the child, or taking any disciplinary action against the child.
  2. A declaration of the right for any child to purchase a meal that may exclude any a la carte items or be limited to one meal.
  3. A procedure for communicating with parents or guardians for the purpose of collecting unpaid charges. Communication must include but is not limited to: information regarding local food pantries; applications for free or reduced-priced meals; applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administered by the Department of Social Services; and a link to the town’s website listing any community services available to residents. If a child’s unpaid charges equal or exceed the cost of 30 meals, the BOE must refer the parent or guardian to the BOE’s local homeless education liaison.

C.G.S. Section 10-215c allows BOEs to accept gifts, donations, or grants from any public or private sources for the purpose of paying off any unpaid meal charges.