New Jersey Statutes Title 18A. Education 18A § 6-110.2

a. School food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are required to provide fee-free avenues to pay for school lunch and inform families about all available payment methods, including associated fees.

b. However, these fee-free options are not always well advertised or accessible.  Despite requirements from the USDA, families may be paying more in fees than they would choose to if they had access to comparably convenient payment options with lower or no fees.

c. School districts are able to negotiate fees while contracting with payment platforms.