KASB urges school districts to use best practices in managing students’ meal debt and ensuring they're using best practices in managing students’ meal debt and making sure no child goes hungry in school. Members can log on to KASB+ for a KSDE training or may consult with a KASB attorney for recommended model policies. 

Kansas Appleseed, a statewide advocacy group that works on anti-hunger, child welfare and other issues, issued a report noting that school meals are crucial for many students to avoid hunger and perform well in the classroom.  

From March 2020 through June 2022, the federal government approved free school meals, regardless of income, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

But when Congress didn’t expand the “universal meal” program, the debt owed for schools' meals skyrocketed across the nation. In Kansas, school meal debt has increased from about $4.5 million to $23.5 million.  

Generally, schools either collect unpaid meal debt from parents, shift funding from other district accounts or receive charitable donations to cover the debt, according to the Appleseed report. 

The report also found that across Kansas, districts have different policies when it comes to meal procedures and finances. 

Recently, KASB conducted a workshop with Kansas Appleseed to provide free training for school leaders to learn best practices in responsibly managing meal debt. We urged participants to lead with compassion when communicating with families about meal debt and to look for ways to build bridges with families and the community. You can also access a video training module on KASB+ conducted by KSDE Director of Child Nutrition and Wellness Cheryl Johnson called “Unpaid Meal Charges.”

Under federal law, school districts that participate in the National School Lunch Program must have written policies on meal charges that should be provided to all school households and school staff.  

These policies should allow children to receive nutrition, minimize identification of children with insufficient funds, minimize the impact on children with delinquent debt and focus primarily on parents and guardians responsible for providing meal funds. 

KASB will continue to help our locally elected school leaders in managing meal debt in ways that benefit students. You can find resources and online trainings on KASB+.