• PPS Meal Payment Procedures 2022-23

At the end of the school year, all student account balances (positive and negative) automatically rollover to the following school year. If a PPS student transfers or transitions to another PPS school, for example, from 5th grade to middle school, or 8th grade to high school, families do not need to contact PPS Nutrition Services to transfer the funds. The funds are linked to the student's 6-digit student ID#, not the school they attend. 

Families have the following options to pay for school meals:

1. Pay as you go: Bring cash or check (payable to Portland Public Schools) directly to the cafeteria*
2. Prepay for meals with cash or check (payable to Portland Public Schools) in the cafeteria*. Funds will be deposited into the student meal account. Purchases will be deducted from the account balance.
3. Pay with a debit/credit card using SchoolCafe, a secure online meal payment system. NOTE: There is a minimum payment of $15 and a 5% fee per online transaction.

*Payments can be dropped off at the school office. Please put the payment in an envelope labeled 'cafeteria'. Checks can also be mailed to PPS Nutrition Services, 501 N Dixon St, Portland, OR 97227.

Adult staff and partners working at a Portland Public School can purchase school meals. An adult breakfast is $3.00 and an adult lunch is $5.50. A lunch includes a main entree with unlimited fruits and vegetables and milk. Additional a la carte milk is available for $.50 each. The purchasing options for adult meals are listed below:

1. Pay as you go. No account needed

• Bring exact cash* or check payable to Portland Public Schools to the school cafeteria. Cafeteria staff do not provide change. To carryover a credit balance, consider creating a meal account, OPTION 2.
• Meals cannot be purchased unless payments are made at the time of purchase.

2. Pay with cash or check with an account

• Fill out the adult staff meal account request form to have an account created in the Nutrition Services software.
• You will receive an email notification when your account has been created.
• Bring cash or check payable to Portland Public Schools to the school cafeteria. The funds will be deposited into your account.
• Meal charges will be deducted from the balance each time a purchase is made.
• There must be enough funds in the account to cover the cost of a purchase or the purchase cannot be made.

3. Pre-pay with a debit or credit card with a SchoolCafé account. SchoolCafé is a secure online meal payment system.

• Fill out the adult staff meal account request form to be added in the Nutrition Services software.
• You will receive an email notification when you have been added.
• Create a SchoolCafé account online at www.schoolcafe.com/pps or download the mobile app.
• Add yourself to the account, like a parent would add a student to their account
• Add funds with a debit or credit card. SchoolCafé charges a 5% fee per online transaction, with a minimum $15 payment. Currently, SchoolCafé does not accept American Express.
• The meal charge will be deducted from the balance each time a purchase is made.
• There must be enough funds in the account to cover the cost of a purchase or the purchase cannot be made.

SchoolCafé Guide for Adult Staff Accounts

Students with unused funds have the following options:

• Do nothing. The funds will remain in the account for future purchases.
• Request a refund check. NOTE: Checks are sent in the mail within 4-6 weeks. Depending on the volume of requests, it may take less or more time to process.
• Request the funds be transferred to another PPS student's meal account.
• Request the funds be donated to a specific school or general fund to pay off negative balances.
• To submit an online request for options 2-4, click here.

Staff can submit a refund request anytime via the following options:

• Adult staff refund request form (Note: Student refund requests are submitted using a different form - click here)
• Email: nssupport@pps.net (provide the name to make the check payable to and the complete address to send the check to)
• Call: 503.916.3247 (provide the name to make the check payable to and the complete address to send the check to)

• For general meal account related questions, please contact PPS Nutrition Services Support at nssupport@pps.net or call 503.916.3247.
• For SchoolCafé online transaction related questions, please contact SchoolCafé Support at 1.855.729.2328.