Woburn May Use Collection Agency For Unpaid School Lunches

WOBURN, MA -- Woburn Public Schools use a collection agency to go after parents who don't pay lunch bills. The school district had $48,000 in unpaid lunch bills in 2017-18, up from $9,000 in 2013-14. The school committee is also considering blocking students with unpaid bills from purchasing "a la carte" items like snacks and specialty foods.

"This policy does not permit administrators to deny children food in any way, shape, or form," School Committee member Ellen Crowley said at a meeting last month. "This allows the administration to report a person who is past due on their lunch account by 60 days to a collection agency. So although children will never be denied food or given a substitute meal, the administration will have a way to collect."

The new system could take effect within 30 days, following a public comment period on the proposal. Under the new rules, the school committee would establish a free lunch program for students that don't qualify for free lunch under federal guidelines.

Subscribe to Woburn Patch for more local news and real-time alerts.

Patch file photo via Shutterstock.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).