The goal of Cedar Hill Independent School District is to provide scholars with healthy meals every day. However, unpaid charges place a large financial burden on the district. The purpose of this policy regulation is to ensure compliance with federal reporting requirements for the USDA Child Nutrition Program, and to provide oversight and accountability for the collection of outstanding student meal balances per Board Policy CO.
PARENTS/GUARDIANS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MEAL PAYMENT TO THE FOOD
SERVICE PROGRAM.
Parents/Guardians shall monitor their scholar’s school meal account to ensure that they always have a positive balance. In the event that a student does not have a positive balance, the student may charge up to a maximum of $30 to their account after the balance reaches zero. Only reimbursable meals may be charged. A la carte items may not be charged to a scholar’s meal account. Scholars who have exceeded the $30 charged meal limit will be offered a courtesy meal (lowest cost reimbursable meal available) at no cost. The scholar may be served a courtesy meal until the scholar's
unpaid meal charges are paid. If a scholar’s meal account is negative, they will not be allowed to purchase A La Carte
or Snack items until their meal account is paid in full.
SERVICE PROGRAM.
Parents/Guardians shall monitor their scholar’s school meal account to ensure that they always have a positive balance. In the event that a student does not have a positive balance, the student may charge up to a maximum of $30 to their account after the balance reaches zero. Only reimbursable meals may be charged. A la carte items may not be charged to a scholar’s meal account. Scholars who have exceeded the $30 charged meal limit will be offered a courtesy meal (lowest cost reimbursable meal available) at no cost. The scholar may be served a courtesy meal until the scholar's
unpaid meal charges are paid. If a scholar’s meal account is negative, they will not be allowed to purchase A La Carte
or Snack items until their meal account is paid in full.
The Food Services Department will email negative balance notices once a week to thefamily when their account falls below zero. Emails will be sent to the parent/guardian email address on file in Skyward. If the district does not have an email address on file, a letter will be mailed to the scholar’s home address listed in Skyward. If a student is without meal money on a consistent basis, the administration will investigate the situation more closely and take further action as needed.
If financial hardship exists, parents/guardians and families are encouraged to apply for Free/Reduced price lunches for their children. At year end, the district’s cumulative negative meal balance will be paid by the general
operating budget or an alternative funding source.