School Meal Charge Policies Lack Consistency

This report discusses school meal charge policies nationwide, with an in-depth look at the contents of these policies in North Carolina. The US Department of Agriculture requires school districts to have policies related to unpaid school meal charges; however, there are no specific requirements for what must be included in these policies. School meal charge policies vary across North Carolina and the US. Many policies are vague, and some include provisions that may be harmful to children and families. The implications of these findings, including the suggested direction of future research and potential policy solutions, are discussed.