In the past, the school has written off close to $100,000 in unpaid food.

According to Thrillist.com, administrators at The Cranston School District in Rhode Island hired a collections agency to go after families with unpaid balances on lunch accounts. Starting with the new year, that the agency will be going after parents for as little as $20. This school year, Cranston Schools have racked up about $45,000 in school lunch-related debt. Transworld Systems will be collecting, and taking what they call a “soft approach” to tracking down the late lunch money. According to the Thrillist, Transworld will send requests via mail rather than a phone call. Makes sense. Who answers numbers they don't know?

Those who have accounts in arrears will not receive different meals than those who are paid. However, according to the Thrillist, it’s an approach The Cranston Schools have attempted in the past.

Cranston Schools’ chief operating officer, Raymond L. Votto Jr. said no students will be denied a meal so long as they need it.

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