Section 4:140
Operational Services
Fees and Waiver of Fees
The Board may charge fees for educationally related materials, services, and programs.
For the purpose of this policy, “school fees” or “fees” mean any monetary charge collected by the District from a student or the parent/guardian of a student as a prerequisite for the student’s participation in any curricular or extracurricular program of the District. The District does not impose a “fee” for personal consumable materials, such as pencils, paper, notebooks, etc. as these materials are the responsibility of the individual student.
“School fees” include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Charges for required textbooks and instructional materials.
- Charges and deposits collected for use of school property such as locks, towels, laboratory equipment.
- Charges for field trips made during school hours, or made after school hours if the field trip is required or customary part of a class or extracurricular activity.
- Charges or deposits for uniforms or equipment related to sports, intramural programs, or fine arts program.
- Charges to participate in extracurricular activities.
- Charges for supplies required for a particular class or elective class.
- Graduation fees.
- School health service fees.
- Regular bus transportation fees
“School fees” do not include:
- Library fines and other charges made for the loss, misuse, or destruction of school property (e.g., musical instruments).
- Charges for the purchase of pictures, or similar items.
- Charges for admission to school dances, athletic events, or other social events.
- Optional community service programs for which fees are charges (e.g., preschool, before-school and after-school child care, and recreation programs).
Waiver of Student Fees
The Superintendent will recommend to the School Board a schedule of fees, if any, to be charged students for the use of textbooks, consumable materials, extracurricular activities, and other school student fees. Students must also pay fines for the loss of or damage to school books or other school owned materials. Fees for textbooks, other instructional materials, and driver education, as well as fines for the loss or damage of school property are waived for students who meet the eligibility criteria for a fee waiver as described in this policy. In order that no student is denied educational services or academic credit due to the inability of parents/guardians to pay student fees and fines, the Superintendent will recommend to the Board which additional fees and fines, if any, the District will waive for students who meet the eligibility criteria for a waiver.
Notification
The Superintendent shall ensure that applications for waivers are widely available and distributed according to State law and Ill. State Board of Education (ISBE) rule and that provisions for assisting parents/guardians in completing the application are available.
Eligibility Criteria
A student shall be eligible for a fee and fine waiver when:
- The student currently lives in a household that meets the same income guidelines, with the same limits based on household size, that are used for the federal free meals program;
- The student’s parents/guardians are veterans or active-duty military personnel with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line; or
- The student is homeless, as defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §11434a).
Verification
The Superintendent or designee shall establish a process for determining a student’s eligibility for a waiver of fees and fines in accordance with State law requirements.
If a student receiving a waiver is found to be no longer eligible during the school year, the Superintendent or designee shall notify the student’s parent/guardian and charge the student a prorated amount based upon the number of school days remaining in the school year.
The Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations will be the District official responsible for reviewing the income data and/or other information supplied (on forms available for this purpose) to qualify for the waiver of fees. The data may be verified during the school year to determine if the family’s income status or circumstances have changed. Anyone failing to supply the data as requested will be determined no longer eligible for waiver of fees and shall be required to pay the applicable fees.
If the application is denied by the Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, written notice of the denial, including the reasons therefore, shall be given to the family within thirty (30) calendar days. In order to assure that families are given fair, adequate consideration of their eligibility for waiver of fees under this policy, an appeal process has been established.
The family may appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days to the Superintendent of the District. The family may supply additional support with their appeal. The Superintendent shall respond to the appeal within thirty (30) calendar days.
No fee shall be collected from any parent/guardian who is seeking a fee waiver in accordance with this policy until the District has acted on the initial request or appeal (if any is made), and the parents have been notified of its decision.
Parents/guardians will be notified annually that this program for waiver of fees is available, according to federal and state law and Board policy. No discrimination or punishment of any kind, including the lowering of grades or exclusion from classes, may be exercised against a student whose parents/guardians are unable to purchase required textbooks or instructional materials or to pay required fees.
Confidentiality shall be strictly maintained in accordance with the administrative procedures.
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| ADOPTED | February 6, 1995 |
| REVIEW HISTORY | 1987, 1995, 2004, 2016, December 2019, January 2023 |