Charge Policy

Pulaski County Special School District and the Student Nutrition Department care about Students and want every one of them to have an enjoyable experience at school. Our school district participates in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture and is held to a high standard of accountability, good nutrition and safety. Eating breakfast and lunch will enable students to be better prepared to learn in the classroom. Please help your student in getting a good start for the future today.

Breakfasts and lunches are provided in all PCSSD school cafeterias. Students are encouraged to participate in these nutritionally balanced programs; however, students may choose to bring meals from home.

Plan ahead for your student; be sure to have a plan for the method of feeding your student(s) each and every day of the year and make sure everyone in your family knows the plan for what to do about meals. There are 5 ways to provide for your student(s)

  1. Will your student(s) be bringing a meal each day? Plan a nutritious meal that’s well balanced with fruits, vegetables, source of protein, bread and milk or juice.
  2. Your student(s) may want to buy their meals in the school cafeteria and then plan to send money each day with your student(s). Reduced price and full paying students may pay the cashier at meal time or go to the cafeteria before school starts and pay for meals in advance.
  3. You may pay by check. If you have more than one child in the same school, send one check for all students and specify name, grade, teacher and the amount you want on each child’s account.
  4. Pay on-line with MyPaymentsPlus.
    1. Go online to www.MyPaymentsPlus.com
    2. Follow the instructions.
  5. The Pulaski County Special School District operates a meal assistance program, which complies with federal guidelines. Meal assistance in the form of free or reduced price meals is available with both the breakfast and lunch programs. If you have a need for assistance plan for that also. It’s quite simple.
    1. Pick up a Free & Reduced Priced Meal application from your school office at registration or pick up a Free & Reduced Priced Meal application from your Cafeteria Manager 2 days before school starts.
    2. Fill out the application and return it to the school’s Cafeteria Manager or mail it to the Student Nutrition Department at:
      Pulaski County Special School District
      Student Nutrition Office
      3924 Neely Road
      Little Rock, AR 72206
    3. Once the application is received, a determination will be made within ten (10) days to see if your student(s) qualifies for Free or Reduced Priced Meals. Qualification is based on household income and family size. A complete application will include income information by source, social security number and the signature of an adult household member. (Please keep a copy of application for your reference). Until you receive a written notification letter from the Student Nutrition Department that your student is eligible for free or reduced priced meals, full payment must be made for each meal received. Notification from any other source, or any means other than written, is not valid.
  6. If your student(s) were eligible for the Free or Reduced Priced Meals the previous school year, you have thirty (30) days after the first day of school to fill out a new application and for it to be approved. Otherwise the student(s) will be classified as a “Full Pay” student. After the lapse of thirty (30) days, full payment will be required if the new application has not been received and approved by the Student Nutrition Department.

Charge Policy and Collections Procedure

We must limit the occurrence of charging for meals to no more than three (3) charges to your student’s account in Elementary, (3) charges to your student’s account in Middle Schools and NO charging in High School.

It is the policy of Pulaski County Special School District to allow students to charge meals only on occasion when money is unavailable and the student would otherwise have to miss meal service. This is a courtesy extended to the student and should not occur on a regular basis. Money owed to the district from meal charging will be carried over to the following year.

Any student denied meal service due to excessive charges will be encouraged to apply for free or reduced-price meals.

Elementary Charge Policy & Collections Procedure

  1. Elementary students will be given a 3 charge limit, but in no way does this relieve the parent or guardian’s responsibility to pay money owed to the school district for meals charged by their elementary students.
  2. Following the student’s first charge, the cashier will inform the student that he/she will need to bring money for the charge and the next meal.
  3. Following the student’s second charge, a letter will be sent home by the Cafeteria Manager notifying the parent or guardian of the charges along with instructions to refer to the charge policy in the student hand book.
  4. Following the student’s third charge, the student will be asked to go to the office and call his/her parent or guardian for a meal or money to buy a meal. This process will occur each day thereafter until money is sent or a lunch is provided for that student by his/her parent. Outstanding charges will continue to be collected.
  5. Regardless of any balance owed, if a student has enough money to purchase a meal, a meal will be provided.

Middle School Charge Policy & Collections Procedure

  1. Middle school student will be given a 3 charge limit, but in no way does this relieve the parent or guardian’s responsibility to pay money owed to the school district for meals charged by their middle school students.
  2. Following the student’s first charge, the cashier will inform the student that he/she will need to bring money for the charge and the next meal.
  3. Following the student’s second charge, a letter will be sent home by the Cafeteria Manager notifying the parent or guardian of the charges along with instructions to refer to the charge policy in the student hand book.
  4. Following the student’s third charge, the student will be asked to go to the office and call his/her parent or guardian for a meal or money to buy a meal. This process will occur each day thereafter until money is sent or a lunch is provided for that student by his/her parent. Outstanding charges will continue to be collected.
  5. Regardless of any balance owed, if a student has enough money to purchase a meal, a meal will be provided.

High School Charge Policy & Collections Procedure

There will be no charging for meals in High schools. When a high school student does not have an approved application qualifying him/her for free or reduced priced meals, or money to pay for his/her meal, they will need money for their meal or bring a lunch from home.

Guidance

  1. ID numbers and I.D. Cards are not to be shared. Once a number or card has been used by someone other than your student and your student tries to eat using his/her card a second meal will ask for payment. If in elementary a charge will be applied to the I.D. # and the parent or guardian will be responsible for those charges.
  2. Regardless of Free or Reduced meal status second meals will be charged at full price.
  3. If you prefer your student not to charge for meals you may obtain an AUTHORIZATION TO DECLINE CHARGES form from the Cafeteria Manager. Sign and return to the Cafeteria Manager. Please keep a copy of the AUTHORIZATION TO DECLINE CHARGES form for your reference.
  4. Charge notices will be sent to the parent/guardian weekly for every student that owes charges for meals. After one charge notice has been sent, with no response, the parent is contacted on the second week by phone. If the parent does not have a phone, a notice will be mailed.

Food Allergy Policy

If your child has a food allergy to any item on the menu a doctor’s statement is required to be filed with the kitchen manager and the school nurse stating the student’s allergies to all such foods and the alternate food to be served.

Meal Prices

Adult or non-student Breakfast- $1.80 Adult or non-student Lunch $3.10
The differences between the adult and student prices are based on the USDA regulations. Students are subsidized for the meals and adults are not.

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A-la-carte items are available in Secondary schools only.

In the case of late school openings because of inclement weather, breakfast will not be served. In the case of late buses breakfast will be served to those students.

We will be glad to answer any questions concerning your student’s meal account by calling the Pulaski County Special School District Nutrition Services Office at 501.490.5800.