Student Fees

STUDENT FEES, FINES AND CHARGES

The St. Bernard Parish School Board may impose certain student fees or charges to help offset special costs incurred in the operation of specific classrooms or subjects. Generally, students should not be denied or delayed admission nor denied access to any instructional activity due to failure or inability of their parent or guardian to pay a fee. Report cards and other academic records cannot be withheld for failure to pay a fee pursuant to state law.

The School Board shall publish the Student Fees, Fines and Charges policy and procedures on its website. Each school shall publish the policy on its website and include it in the school's student handbook which shall be provided to each student and his/her parent or legal guardian at the beginning of each school year in the manner determined by the School Board.

The Student Fees, Fines and Charges policy shall be reviewed annually and revised as necessary.

DEFINITIONS

Fees shall mean any monetary payment or supplies required as a condition of a student being enrolled in school or participating in any curricular or co-curricular activity. Fees shall not include supplies or monetary payment for extracurricular activities. Fees shall not mean the cost of school meals.

Curricular and co-curricular activities are activities that are relevant, supportive, that are an integral part of the program of studies in which the student is enrolled, and that are under the supervision and/or coordination of the school instructional staff.

Extracurricular activities are those activities which are not directly related to the program of studies, which are under the supervision and/or coordination of the school instructional staff, and which are considered valuable for the overall development of the student.

REGULATIONS

1. A school shall not charge or assess a fee unless the fee has been set and included in the School Board’s approved Schedule of Fees.

2. Fees charged for the same item or service shall be consistent among all schools under the jurisdiction of the School Board.

3. Failure by a student, or parent on behalf of their child, to pay any required fee shall not result in the withholding of a student’s educational record.

SCHEDULE OF FEES

A list of authorized fees, including their purpose, use, amount or authorized range, and how each fee is collected, shall be as listed on the Schedule of Fees (Appendix A) attached to this policy.

School Supplies

School supplies requested by classroom teachers of a student's parent or legal guardian shall not exceed a published amount per student per school year as determined by the School Board. Each school principal shall approve all school supplies requested by classroom teachers. Prior to assessing a fee for school supplies or developing a school supply list, consideration shall be given to the existing school supply inventory. A student shall not be denied the opportunity to participate in a classroom activity due to his or her inability to provide requested supplies.

ECONOMIC HARDSHIP WAIVERS

A student or his/her parent or legal guardian may request and receive a waiver of payment of a fee due to economic hardship. Total or partial waivers of one or more fees shall be granted based on objective criteria relative to the student or his/her family, as listed below:

1. Is receiving unemployment benefits or public assistance including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, supplemental security income, or Medicaid.

2. Is in foster care or is caring for children in foster care.

3. Is homeless.

4. Is serving in, or within the previous year has served in, active military service.

5. Is eligible for free or reduced priced meals in schools not participating in the Community Eligibility Provision Program.

6. Is an emancipated minor.

A written request for a waiver of fees shall be submitted to the principal of the school or his/her designee for consideration. Proof of eligibility shall be included with the fee waiver request. A written decision on the waiver request shall be rendered within five (5) school days of the date of receipt of the request. Should the initial request to the principal of the school for a waiver be denied, a written appeal may be made to the Superintendent or his/her designee, who shall respond to the appeal in writing within five (5) school days of the receipt of the appeal.

Purpose of Fee	Amount	Use of Fee	Collection Method
Student Instructional Fee (K-5 students)	$15.00	Classroom instructional materials, including workbooks and other consumable classroom needs	Collected at Supply Nights, Open House, and during the first weeks of school.  Cash, check, or Money Order
School Supply List (K-5 students)	Not to exceed $60.00	Binders, pencils, folders, paper, scissors, markers, glue, crayons, notebooks, etc.	Supplies collected at Supply Nights or brought to school by students the first week of school.
Instrumental Music for 4th and 5th Graders	$20.00	Instrument Repairs, replacement needs, cleaning, etc.	Collected when enrolled in band. Cash, check or Money Order.
Swimming Lessons for all 2nd Graders	$2.00	Swim Caps	Cash
Mandated Educational Field Trips	Cost of Trip	Event Bus/Bus Fees	Cash, check, or Money Order
Replacement Student I.D. Cards	$2.00	Mandatory I.D. Card	Cash, check, or Money Order

 

Purpose of Fee	Amount	Use of Fee	Collection Method
Instructional Fee	$15.00	Instructional Materials, Chromebooks, PBIS Incentives, Awards	Cash, check, or Money Order
Locker Fee	$5.00	Rental, Annual Maintenance and Combination Reset	Cash, check, or Money Order
Replacement Agenda Book	$10.00	Student Information and Organizational Resource	Cash, check, or Money Order
Band	$50-$90	Instrument Supplies, Repair, Binders, Travel Expenses, Uniform Cleaning, Sheet Music, T-shirt	Cash, Check, or Money Order
P.E. Uniforms	$28.00	Uniform to Participate in P.E.	Cash, check, or Money Order
Replacement Student I.D. Cards	$5.00	Mandatory I.D. Card	Cash, check, or Money Order
Temporary I.D. Card I.D. Clip Replacement I.D. Pouch Replacement	.50-$1 .25-.50 .25-.50	I.D. Card Supplies	Cash, check, or Money Order
Mandated Educational Field Trips	Cost of Trip	Event Bus/Bus Fees	Cash, check, or Money Order

 

Purpose of Fee	Amount	Use of Fee	Collection Method
Instructional Fee	$25.00	Instructional Materials, Chromebooks, PBIS Incentives, Awards	Cash, check, or Money Order
Replacement Agenda Book	$5.00	Student Information and Organizational Resource	Cash, check, or Money Order
Band	$100	Instrument Supplies, Repair, Binders, Travel Expenses, Uniform Cleaning, Sheet Music	Cash, Check, or Money Order
P.E. Uniforms	$20.00	Uniform to Participate in P.E.	Cash, check, or Money Order
Replacement Student I.D.'s	$2.00	Replace Mandatory I.D. Card	Cash
Mandated Educational Field Trips	Cost of Trip	Event Bus/Bus Fees	Cash, check, or Money Order