The school district accepts responsibility for providing nutritious meals to students in attendance at schools.
Regardless of the program or service method utilized, students not paying cash for meal purchases must select a reimbursable meal. All Students selecting a breakfast meal, lunch meal or ala carte item must pass through the point-of-sale (cashier) and permit documentation of the meal or food items received.
Schools not participating in the Community Eligibility Provision accept the responsibility to distribute applications for free and reduced priced meals. Applications will be available throughout the school year and accepted for processing at any time.
In accordance with the guidelines for participation in the National School Lunch Program, no student who meets the criteria of eligibility for free or reduced meal benefits will be denied access to a meal during any meal service.
A principal may complete an application for free or reduced priced meals for any student known to be in need, if the parent or guardian fails to apply. The principal should complete the application based on the best household size and income information available and state the source of the information on the application. In addition, principals should ensure that school guidance and procedures are implemented in ways that do not impede eligible students from participating fully in the meal programs.
The information provided on each free and reduced lunch application is confidential. Employees with appropriate access to this confidential information must make reasonable effort to maintain the confidentiality and anonymity regarding the information and student qualification and/or participation in the free or reduced price meal program.
The superintendent or designee shall ensure the school system meets all federal requirements to verify the eligibility of applicants for free or reduced price meals. When school personnel become aware of information that cause concern regarding the integrity of an application, the superintendent or designee must verify the application information by following the verification for cause procedures set forth in federal regulations.
In schools approved for participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), free lunch and breakfast meals will be made available to all students without consideration of income or eligibility. The school system will cover with non-federal funds any cost for providing the free meals not covered by the federal reimbursement to the child nutrition department. Schools participating in CEP are not permitted to collect free and reduced meal applications from any households.
The superintendent and his designee shall establish procedures that conform to state and federal requirements regarding participating in the National School Lunch program.
Meal Charges
Students attending schools eligible for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) are not permitted to charge meals or ala carte food items. One reimbursable breakfast meal and one reimbursable lunch meal will be available to CEP students each day they are in attendance at school. Ala carte items, extra milk, and additional entrees will require cash in hand or deposited to the student’s café account.
High school students will be permitted to charge reimbursable meals up to $10.00. Ala carte items, extra milk, and additional entrees will require cash in hand or deposited to the student’s café account.
Adults are not permitted to charge meals or ala carte items.
Legal References: 20 U.S.C. 1232g; National School Lunch Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 1751, et seq.; Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 1771, et seq.; G.S. 115C-263, -264
Cross References:
Adopted: January 9, 2006
Revised: August 4, 2014, May 1, 2017