Austin School Board members on Monday unanimously approved a new unpaid lunch account policy, after giving the policy a first reading in July.

Students in kindergarten to fourth grade will be given three written notices, starting when there is $8 remaining in a student’s account, then $2, then 0.

Notices will be put in backpacks for parents to find.

Students in fifth to 12th grades will receive daily verbal reminders of the debt.

If the account reaches zero, a student may not charge more than three meals on the account.

No other meals may be purchased after that time, but the student is still offered a sandwich, milk and fruit to eat, according to Food Services Director Mary Weikum.

Weikum said payment could be made by sending the funds with the student to school, paying
it by mail, or paying online through a checking account, credit or debit card. Approximately 3,000 students eat school lunches.

Weikum said it was not unusual to have parents unaware that they could qualify for free and reduced lunches, and staff early in the year makes sure applications are made when warranted, and parents are aware of the policy.

She added that lunch debt, if not monitored well, can grow rapidly.

“It could be $100,000 very quickly,” Weikum said, adding staff
worked hard to keep it
under control.

The lunch policy reflects current practice and was created when state law required it.

Weikum added, upon questioning, that students are never held up to ridicule if their lunch accounts are in arrears. Some children have had hot lunch trays taken away, “ but that is not done in view of other students,” she said.

Student debt is carried to graduation, but even then, Weikum said, “we work with the parents” on a financial solution, so there is no obstruction to graduation.

“We aren’t going to let that happen,” she said.