North Dakota families can face debt collections if they can’t afford school lunch

(Oct. 27, 2026) – Every K-12 student has the legal right to receive a lunch at school in North Dakota without any stigma or shaming. But students and families who can’t afford to pay can still have long-term consequences, and some students may choose to go hungry to avoid them. There are more than two dozen school districts that reported referring parents to debt collection agencies for unpaid lunch debt, according to a state survey. At least one district withholds transcripts from students who

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