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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>354996</law_id><section_number>22.1-79.7</section_number><catch_line>School meal policies; donations</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="60" identifier="22.1">Education</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="8" identifier="7">General Powers and Duties of School Boards</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Each local <span class="dictionary">school board</span> shall adopt policies that: <a id="paragraph-1321865" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-79.7/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Prohibit <span class="dictionary">school board</span> employees from requiring a student who cannot pay for a meal at school or who owes a school meal debt to throw away or discard a meal after it has been served to him, do chores or other work to pay for such meals, or wear a wristband or hand stamp; <a id="paragraph-1321866" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-79.7/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Require <span class="dictionary">school board</span> employees to direct any communication relating to a school meal debt to the student&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">parent</span>. Such policy may permit such communication to be made by a letter addressed to the <span class="dictionary">parent</span> to be sent home with the student; <a id="paragraph-1321867" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-79.7/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Prohibit the <span class="dictionary">school board</span> from filing a <span class="dictionary">lawsuit</span> against a student or the student&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">parent</span> because the student cannot pay for a meal at school or owes a school meal debt; and <a id="paragraph-1321868" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-79.7/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Prohibit the <span class="dictionary">school board</span> or any <span class="dictionary">school board</span> employee from denying a student the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular school activity because the student cannot pay for a meal at school or owes a school meal debt. <a id="paragraph-1321869" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-79.7/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">school board</span> may solicit and receive any donation or other funds for the purpose of eliminating or offsetting any school meal debt at any time and shall use any such funds solely for such purpose. <a id="paragraph-1321870" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/22.1-79.7/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2018, cc. 384, 712; 2020, cc. 509, 575; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 106; 2022, c. 686.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
