Diet modifications will be accommodated for students who are defined with a disability as stated in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and those who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
If the physician has recommended diet modifications, have the physician complete and submit the 05 Physician's Request Form 2025-2026, to the Child Nutrition Office.
The form must include:
Until the completed physician’s note is submitted and implemented, the responsibility for feeding the child with special dietary needs will lie with the parents/guardians.
When the modifications are no longer necessary, the parent/guardian can sign, date, and submit Form 2 Continue or Discontinue Special Diet 2025-2026 or Continuar o Descontinuar Dieta Especial 2025-2026 Forma #2 document to remove the modifications from the student’s diet. The modifications cannot be changed prior to receiving the updated documentation.
All completed forms may be returned to the Campus Nurse and emailed to school.lunch@hcisd.org
Meal Modifications and substitutions to the regular meal will be made for children who are unable to eat school meals because of their disabilities when the need is certified by a licensed physician.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 (Section 504) and the American Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 provide regulatory guidance which defines a disability as any physiological disorder or conditions, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting the body’s systems or any mental or psychological disorder which affects one of the major life activities. Individuals who take mitigating measures to improve or control any of the conditions recognized as a disability are still considered to have a disability and require accommodation.
The Texas Department of Agriculture requires school nutrition programs (SNP) to provide reasonable accommodations for reimbursable meals at no additional charge, snacks, and a la carte sales when (1) a student’s disability restricts his/her diet and (2) the disability is supported by a medical statement signed by a medical authority that is licensed by the State to write medical prescriptions or meal accommodation requirement in a student's individualized education program (IEP) as authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Action (IDEA) or Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 (Section 504).
Before any dietary modifications can be accommodated, the following must be completed by a licensed medical authority by the state on the Harlingen CISD Physician Request Form:
Until the completed Physician Modification Form is submitted and implemented, the responsibility for feeding the child with special dietary needs remains the parent/guardian responsibility.
Please note that forms that are incomplete or missing information will take longer to process.
All Physician Requests for Diet Modification Forms should be sent directly to the appropriate school nurse. The school nurse will then provide the forms to the Child Nutrition Program Coordinator, Dietitian to review and process the requested accommodations.
Please be mindful that if requested modifications deviate extensively from the traditional menu, it may take time to process the submission.
The Child Nutrition Department can:
The Child Nutrition Department cannot:
Our department cannot accept written notes from parents requesting diet modifications as an approved form of documentation.
Any changes that may result in an existing diet modification must be documented in writing by a licensed physician to protect the student and avoid any type of misunderstandings among child nutrition program staff. Documented changes should be provided to all necessary departments to maintain uniformity in our services provided.
Student Diet Modifications forms that are active from prior year and that will not require any edits do not need to be submitted on an annual school year basis.