LA PLATA, Md. (December 16, 2011)—The Charles County Public Schools food services department is changing the way it handles checks written to student meal accounts, and delivered to the school by the parent or student. Beginning Jan. 2, the food services department is sending all returned checks to a collections agency. The food services department will no longer handle checks written to the school cafeterias that do not clear the bank. Returned checks will be sent directly to Envision Payments, the collection agency secured by the school system. The collections agency will work to collect the face amount of the check and a $35 fee, which is allowed by Maryland law.
The change only involves returned checks, and does not affect payments made on MealpayPlus, the secure, Internet-based system parents can use to deposit money electronically on their child's cafeteria account.
Already this school year, 43 checks valued at $1,090, have been returned for non-payment. Last school year, 272 checks valued at $7,104.25 were returned; in the 2009-10 school year, 379 checks, with a value of $9,050.86, were returned.
For more information, call the Charles County Public Schools Food Services Department at 301-392-5570 or contact your child's school.