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Meal Charge Guidelines

Unpaid Meal Accounts (Board Policy #7002)

The policy of the Dubuque Community School District is to offer breakfast and lunches to all students within the district. As a student’s account balance approaches a zero balance or becomes negative, the following procedures will apply.

Each school will:

  • Not deny students meals because of low account balances;
  • Not allow students to purchase a la carte when their meal account is at zero balance;
  • Allow a student to charge meals up to a negative balance of $8.85. After the charge limit is reached, an alternate entrée and milk will be served for breakfast and lunch until the charges are paid in full. This alternate entrée and milk will not be charged to the student’s account.

View full policy #7002 and its administrative guidelines (PDF)

Administrative Guidelines

Elementary School

  • When the negative $8.85 charge limit is reached an alternate sandwich with milk will be offered for lunch and graham crackers with milk for breakfast, until the charges are paid in full.
  • Payment envelopes indicating the student’s account balance, for those accounts with less than $3.00, will be sent home with the students on a weekly basis.
  • Parents will receive low balance notification via e-mail through the Meal Magic System.

Middle School / High School

  • When the negative $8.85 charge limit is reached an alternate sandwich with milk will be offered for lunch and toast with milk for breakfast, until charges are paid in full.
  • If a student with a negative balance attempts to purchase a la carte items with cash, the money must first be applied to the negative balance.
  • Students will be verbally notified of their account balance at the cash register when the balance falls below $5.00.
  • Parents will receive low balance notification via e-mail through the Meal Magic System.

Employees

  • Employees may also establish meal accounts. An employee’s meal account balance may not fall below zero.
  • Employees will receive low balance notification via e-mail through the Meal Magic System.

Outstanding Meal Accounts

The Food and Nutrition Department will make every attempt to notify families of outstanding accounts through email, telephone calls, or letters sent via US mail. The department will make every effort to work out a payment plan or help families apply for assistance.