Lincoln Public Schools announced Wednesday it has suspended referring additional families to collections effective immediately and will recall current accounts with the collection agency. The Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools will continue to work with LPS Nutrition Services to use donations designated for meal debt to address delinquent accounts.
The Lincoln Board of Education will consider a staff proposal that revises school district policy and procedures around student school lunch debt at its next regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27. The Board asked for staff to review current policies and procedures in light of LB 855 being introduced by the Nebraska Legislature this session.
It would prohibit school districts from taking certain actions relating to outstanding debts on a school lunch or breakfast account. The first proposal is a policy revision to add the following language to Board policy 3530.
“The Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs is not authorized to utilize an outside collection agency for an uncollected or uncollectible accounts in which the negative balance is accumulated from the purchase of student meals.”
Currently, LPS uses the My School Bucks platform to manage student accounts for meals. Families can put money in their student’s meal account or pay meal debt by taking cash or checks to the school, or by using the online application for My School Bucks.