The Florida State University Schools recognizes that healthy, nutritious meals are an important component to student readiness and ability to learn. Requirements states “Schools must provide nutritious and well-balanced meals to all the children they serve.” In accordance with this regulation, Florida State University Schools will not deny any student access to school lunch.
However, Food and Nutritional Services department at Florida State University Schools is a self-supporting fund that shall not have a negative balance at the close of a fiscal year. Unpaid charges place a financial strain on the Food and Nutritional Services department. To be fair and equitable and in order to ensure compliance of all who participate in the school meal program, the policy establishes procedures for methods of payment, charge availability and collection methods.
The Florida State University Schools Food and Nutrition Department establishes the following goals:
- To ensure that students have a healthy meal and that no child goes hungry.
- To treat all students with dignity and confidentiality at all times.
- To foster clear and positive communication among staff, students and the parents/guardian.
- To establish fair practices that can be used consistently throughout the school year regarding meal charges and the collection of said charges.
- To encourage the parent(s)/guardian(s) to assume the responsibility of payments and to promote self-responsibility of the student.
- Students approved for free meals cannot be denied a reimbursable meal, even if they have a negative balance.
- Overt identification will be prevented for children eligible for free, reduced and paid meals.
- A copy of this policy will be available to all household and transfer households on FSUS website.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
- fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov