Keller ISD will begin providing a new meal offering for students with unpaid lunch balances greater than $25 beginning Oct. 21.

The specifics

According to a news release, students with balances greater than $25 will be offered the following meals at school:

• Breakfast - SunButter and jelly sandwich
• Lunch - turkey and cheese sandwich

The news release states both meals will be served with the fresh fruit of the day with the option of selecting white or chocolate milk, though selecting milk is optional. These two meal options meet the Texas Department of Agriculture and the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program's dietary guidelines.

A closer look

According to the news release, parents or guardians will be notified in writing as soon as their account becomes delinquent, which is calculated per student, not per family or household. Cafeteria and school employees will be trained to proactively but discreetly notify students when their account is getting close to the $25 negative balance threshold.

Once the unpaid balance reaches $25, parents or guardians will be informed that their student will receive an alternative meal until the balance is resolved, according to the news release.

Put in perspective

In a statement, Keller ISD officials said the district is supported by federal child nutrition programs, which allow students to receive breakfast, lunch or after-school meals for free or at a reduced price based on their family’s income. These programs serve approximately 35% of the students in Keller ISD.

The statement also said that the district is also “committed to ensuring that all students have access to nutritious foods. School meals are one of the most important school supplies – when kids feel better, they do better.”