The 11,600 students at Freehold Regional High School District’s six high schools in New Jersey will soon be using a prepaid identification card to pay for lunches at school cafeterias. The new system would add privacy for students eligible for free or reduced lunches, said district officials.

The program will be in effect by mid-October. Use of the card will eliminate the stigma attached to students receiving free or reduced lunches. Prior to this school year, students who were eligible for free or reduced lunches paid for their meals with a paper card bearing a code number.

The new system enables parents to set up an account for their student, prepay their meals and keep track of the account’s balance.

When going through the lunch line, students’ cards are swiped and payment deducted, allowing for faster lines.

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