The decision by the USDA follows a CFPB report that found online school meal payments predominantly affect low-income ...

For families with lower incomes who can’t afford to load large sums in one go, processing fees can arrive weekly or even more ...

The USDA set a rule banning schools from charging processing fees on school lunch accounts for low-income families. The rule is set to take effect in 2027.

This change aims to alleviate financial burdens on families that qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch programs.

That means that although students who qualify for reduced-price school meals cannot be charged more than 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch, many families end up paying additional costs ...

That means that although students who qualify for reduced-price school meals cannot be charged more than 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch, many families end up paying additional costs ...

The new policy will only apply to students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals, but the USDA wants to eventually ... breakfast and 40 cents for lunch. With processing fees ...

A new federal rule will prohibit schools from charging transaction fees to low-income students when their families electronically deposit funds into their lunch accounts ... even when paying online,” ...

The memo also emphasizes the need for schools to provide all families with a no-cost option for making deposits into school meal accounts and to inform families about this method. “USDA and schools ..