PRINTER'S NO. 838
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
709
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY COSTA, LEACH, BLAKE, BREWSTER, FONTANA, BARTOLOTTA
AND TARTAGLIONE, MAY 12, 2017
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 12, 2017
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in pupils and attendance, further
providing for nonprofit school food program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1337(d) of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
amended to read:
Section 1337. Nonprofit School Food Program.--* * *
(d) Boards of School Directors.
(1) Pursuant to any power of boards of school directors to
operate or provide for the operation of school food programs in
schools under their jurisdiction, boards of school directors may
use therefore funds disbursed to them under the provisions of
this section, gifts and other funds, received from sale of
school food under such programs.
(2) Regardless of whether a student has money to pay for a
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
school meal or owes money for earlier school meals, each board
of school directors shall establish a requirement for schools
under its jurisdiction to provide a school food program meal to
a student who requests one, unless the student's parent or
guardian has specifically provided written permission to the
school to withhold a school meal.
(3) Each board of school directors shall require schools
under its jurisdiction to comply with the following when a
student owes money for five or more school meals:
(i) The school shall determine if the student is eligible
for the school food program.
(ii) If the student is eligible for the school food program,
the school shall make at least two attempts to reach the
student's parent or guardian and have the parent or guardian
apply for participation in the school food program.
(iii) The principal, assistant principal, school counselor
or other school employee designated by the board of school
directors to contact the student's parent or guardian to offer
assistance with applying for participation in the school food
program shall:
(A) Determine if there are other issues within the student's
household that have caused the student to have insufficient
funds to purchase a school meal.
(B) Offer appropriate assistance on behalf of the student.
(4) Each board of school directors shall:
(i) Require schools under its jurisdiction to direct
communications regarding money owed by a student for school
meals to the student's parent or guardian and not to the
student.
(ii) Permit schools under its jurisdiction to contact the
20170SB0709PN0838 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
student's parent or guardian by means of a letter addressed to
the parent or guardian that is delivered by the student.
(5) Each board of school directors shall prohibit schools
under its jurisdiction from implementing the following:
(i) Publicly identifying or stigmatizing a student who
cannot pay for a school meal or who owes money for earlier
school meals, including a requirement that a student wear a
wristband or hand stamp for the purpose of identifying the
student as eligible for the school food program.
(ii) Requiring a student who cannot pay for a school meal to
perform chores or other work to pay for the school meal. This
subclause shall not apply if chores or other work are required
of all students regardless of the student's inability to pay for
the school meal.
(iii) Requiring a student to discard a school meal after it
was served to the student due to the student's inability to pay
for the school meal or the amount of money owed by the student
for earlier school meals.
(iv) Requiring a student's parent or guardian to pay fees or
costs charged by a collection agency that is contracted to
collect money owed for school meals.
* * *
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
20170SB0709PN0838 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23