08/16/2026
Dear Families, Parents, and Guardians,
The Washoe County School District (WCSD) is committed to providing a world-class education to its 60,000 students, and an important part of that mission is ensuring that every student is well-nourished. Good nutrition is essential to the learning process, and the District’s Nutrition Services school meal program is dedicated to providing healthy, balanced meals to children during the school day. Children who are eligible under federal guidelines may receive breakfast and lunch at no cost.
Sometimes, however, children who do not qualify based on these federal guidelines would like a meal, but they do not have money in their account or in hand to cover the cost. District policy dictates that every student will receive the same meal as their peers receive, regardless of their ability to pay. Any student who does not have money to pay for a meal is treated fairly and with compassion, and each student’s situation is handled discreetly and confidentially.
Below are specific guidelines for all WCSD students:
WCSD students without money on account or in hand can charge USDA reimbursable meals to their student meal account. At no time will a student’s tray of food be taken away due to lack of funds. Students may not charge a la carte or extra items if they have a negative balance, regardless of the student’s eligibility status. If a family has a financial hardship creating an inability to pay for student meals due to rising rents and other living expenses, it is not the intent of Washoe County School District to deny meals. In such cases, please contact Nutrition Services at 775-325-8410.
It is the expectation of WCSD that each household will pay off the negative balance by the end of the school year. The district will send regular notifications to the parent/guardian regarding outstanding balances.
Tiered Parental Communications
As per Board Policy 7546, school staff shall regularly communicate the student’s meal fund balance and payment options to the parent/guardian. In order to define the communication process and the potential actions that may take place with negative student account balances, staff has developed the following:
Negative Balance of $5.00: Negative Balance Notification via phone call and text message.
Negative Balance of $20.00: Administrator/Designee Communication via email, phone call and text message.
Negative Balance of $30.00: Second Administrator/Designee Communication via email, phone call and text message.
Negative Balance of $50.00: Third Administrator/Designee Communication via email, phone call and text message.
Negative Balance of $75.00: Intervention Communication to the Parent/Guardian initiated.
The Intervention Communication may be administered by a School Principal or Guidance Counselor, citing the student’s well-being as the district’s top priority
After 30 days, if there is no contact from the account owner claiming hardship or setting up a repayment plan, WCSD may initiate collections. The account owner may appeal before the account goes to collections.
Meal Prices for the 2026-27 School Year
Breakfast Lunch
Elementary School Students $2.10 $3.35
Middle- and High School Students $2.10 $3.35
Adults $3.25 $5.00
How to Pay
Students may pay for meals by cash or check at their school, or pre-payment can be made online. MySchoolBucks is an online payment service that provides parents the ability to securely pay for meals, monitor student cafeteria purchases, and receive email notifications for low account balances. This service allows you to pay for school meals online using a credit or debit card. Visit the site at: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/login/getmain?requestAction=home
Please be aware that there is an additional surcharge when adding money onto your students account through electronic payment. To avoid this fee, you may send cash or check directly to the school kitchen at the school your student attends. This method allows you to add money to their account at no extra cost.
Checks should be made payable to Nutrition Services. For information about free methods to add money to a student's meal account, please call Erin Truex at (775) 325-8418.
Families who believe their student(s) may qualify for free or reduced-price school meals are encouraged to submit a school meal application anytime during the school year. The application should be re-submitted each year for consideration for free and reduced-price meals, even if the child received free meals during the previous year. It is important for us all to remember that all information received on meal applications is confidential.
Applications are available at the school office, or you may apply online at: https://rocket.washoeschools.net.
Please feel free to contact Nutrition Services at (775) 325-8410 if you have any questions or need to set up a payment plan.
We hope all our students will have a healthy and productive school year.
Sincerely,
WCSD Nutrition Services
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, s*x, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) email: [email protected].
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights mission is to provide leadership and direction for the fair treatment of all USDA customers.
