STUDENT FEES, FINES AND CHARGES

Recognizing that it is the public's responsibility to fund a free public education for all students, no fees will be imposed for required academic programs. However, severe restraints on the school budget may require the imposition of user fees in order to maintain extracurricular programs.

User fees are to be imposed by the board only when other funding is not available.

User fees will be levied on participants in all extracurricular activities. However, no user fees shall be imposed on a special education student for whom specific extracurricular activities are an essential component of the Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.).

Payment of a user fee merely permits participation in the extracurricular activity and in no way guarantees playing time on a sports team or any other privilege.

Amounts to be charges will be based on the cost of the activities.

Fees will be paid according to a schedule and a method of payment which provide for safekeeping of the money collected and accurate record keeping. Refunds may be granted in certain circumstances (to be determined by the local school unit).

In an effort to ensure that extracurricular activities are accessible to all students, regardless of income, the following restrictions on user fees shall apply.

A. A cap on the amount that any one family or individual student is required to pay in one academic year shall be established.

B. Fees will be waived for students with need demonstrated through a specified formula. Criteria for waivers and the process for obtaining waivers shall be well publicized to parents and included in staff and student/parent handbooks. Waivers are to be provided in a confidential manner to avoid stigmatization of students.

The superintendent is responsible for development of administrative regulations to implement this policy.

Adopted: January 23, 1995