STUDENT FEES, FINES, AND CHARGES

STUDENT FEES, FINES, AND CHARGES

po6152Adopted January 1, 2002Revised November 19, 2020

6152 - STUDENT FEES, FINES, AND CHARGES

The Board of Education will provide the necessary textbooks and/or electronic textbooks required by the course of study free of charge for its students. The Board may charge fees for any additional materials used in the course of instruction. The Board may furnish these additional materials free of charge to students determined to have a serious financial need. Any waiver of fees shall be made pursuant to Policy 6152.01.

The Board will not charge a fee to a student who is eligible for a free lunch under the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 for any materials needed to enable the student to participate in a course of instruction. However, the Board may nonetheless charge a fee for materials needed for a student to participate in any extracurricular activities or student enrichment program or tools, equipment, and materials that are necessary for a workforce-readiness career-technical education training program that may be retained by the students after completion of the course.

School fees shall be paid in advance for each school term at the time of initial registration or initial enrollment. 

Fees

For the purposes of this policy, "school fees" or "fees" means any monetary charge collected by the District from a student or the parent(s) or guardian of a student as a prerequisite for the student's participation in any curricular or extra-curricular program of the District.

"School fees" include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. all charges for required workbooks and instructional materials;
  2. all charges and deposits collected by a school for use of school property (e.g., locks, towels, laboratory equipment);
  3. charges for field trips made during school hours, or made after school hours if the field trip is a required or customary part of a class or extra-curricular activity;
  4. charges or deposits for uniforms or equipment related to varsity and intramural sports, or to fine arts programs;
  5. charges to participate in extra-curricular activities;
  6. charges for supplies required for a particular class or for gym uniforms.

A charge shall not exceed the combined cost of the material used, freight and/or handling charges, and nominal add-on for loss. Money received from the resale of such material shall be returned to the Treasurer with an accurate accounting of all transactions.

Fines

When school property, equipment, or supplies are damaged, lost, or taken by a student, a fine will be assessed. The fine will be reasonable, seeking only to compensate the school for the expense or loss incurred.

The late return of borrowed books or materials from the school libraries will be subject to appropriate fines.

Any fees, fines, and/or other charges collected by members of the staff shall be turned in to the Treasurer within one (1) business day after collection.

In accordance with R.C. 3313.642, failure to pay fees and fines may result in the withholding of grades and credit. In the event the above course of action does not result in the fee being collected, the Board authorizes the Treasurer to take the student and/or his/her parents to Small Claims Court for collection. Under no circumstances will the Board withhold the grades, credits, official transcripts, diploma, IEPs, or Section 504 Plans of a student for nonpayment of fees for materials used in the course of instruction, if a complaint has been filed at any time in a juvenile court alleging that the student is an abused, neglected, or dependent child, or if the student has been adjudicated an abused, neglected, or dependent child. Further, the Board will transfer immediately the grades, credits, official transcripts, IEPs, or Section 504 Plans of a student upon the receipt of either another district's or school's request for those records pursuant to R.C. 3313.672, or a juvenile judge's order under R.C. 2151.272. The Superintendent may request a copy of any order regarding a child's custody or placement issued pursuant to a complaint filed under R.C. 2151.27. The Board, however, will not withhold records required to be transferred pursuant to this paragraph pending receipt of a copy of the order.

For convenience to families, the Board of Education may enter into an agreement with one (1) or more credit card/online payment processing vendors to facilitate online payment of fees, fines, and charges. Parents/guardians or students may elect but are not required to make payments online. Vendors will comply with all Board policies and procedures related to confidentiality and security of information transmitted electronically. Payees will be notified of any processing or other nominal fees that may be charged for use of an online payment system before the transaction is completed.

Annually, the District will report to the Ohio Department of Education the number of students for whom it sent transcripts pursuant to R.C. 3313.642(D), and the total amount of unpaid fees lost due to compliance with that provision.

Nothing in this policy restricts the right of access of a parent or student to school records or to receive copies of such records, as required by Federal and State laws.

Revised 9/17/02
Revised 11/21/13

© Neola 2020