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BUTTE, Mont. (AP) The Butte school board is getting tough on the parents or guardians of students who fall more than $30 behind in paying for school lunches.

The board voted 5-0 Monday to adopt a policy that would allow the district to garnishee state income tax refunds to pay overdue bills.

Mark Harrison, the district's director of central services, says the policy is intended to deal with people who refuse to pay, and rarely will be used.

Last year, the district was owed $10,000 in lunch bills.

Harrison says this year, with more aggressive collection efforts, the district has reduced that to $7,000.

Harrison says it's not the lowest income students who fall behind, because they qualify for the federal free or reduced cost lunch program. He says students who can't pay for lunch aren't being denied food.

Information from: The Montana Standard, http://www.mtstandard.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-17-09 0920CST | save this article / add to your favorites list