3520 (P) - Student Fees, Fines, Charges

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE No. 3520

STUDENT FEES, FINES, CHARGES

Student fee schedules for individual buildings must be approved on an annual basis. Each building will submit an annual report which includes a report indicating the fees proposed for collection by each department/program. In establishing student fees for educational experiences, the following guidelines will be used:

A. Class registration literature will describe fees, if any, for each class or activity and the process for obtaining a waiver or fee reduction;

B. A fee may be collected for any program only when the resultant product, service or experience is in excess of the basic instructional program and, at the student's option, becomes the personal property of the student. Fees may not exceed the cost of the materials. The district will furnish materials for those introductory units of instruction where a student is acquiring the fundamental skills for the course. A student must be able to obtain the highest grade offered for the course without being required to purchase extra materials;

C. Students may be required to furnish personal or consumable items including pencils, paper, erasers and notebooks;

D. Security deposits for the return of materials or equipment may be collected. Provisions will be made to return the deposit when the student returns the item at the conclusion of the school term;

E. A fee may be collected for a unit of instruction where the activity necessitates the use of facilities not available on the school premises, and participation in the course is optional on the part of the student (a waiver or fee reduction need not be offered for such activities);

F. Unless students opt out, a one-time ASB fee at the beginning of each school year may be assessed at Walla Walla High School that covers the cost for access to all optional, noncredit extracurricular activities offered by the ASB/district; and

G. Fees will not be levied for:

1. Field trips required as part of a basic educational program or course;

2. Textbooks (non-consumable) or other materials which are designated as basic instructional material for a course of study; or

3. Instructional costs for necessary staff employed in any course or educational program.

Fee waivers and reductions will be granted to students whose families would have difficulty paying by reason of their low income. The USDA Child Nutrition Program guidelines will be used to determine qualification for a fee waiver or reduction.

Fines or damage charges may be levied for lost textbooks, library books or equipment. In the event the student does not make proper restitution, the student’s diploma may be withheld. If a student is unable to pay the fine or change, the student may make restitution through community service.

A charge for lost or damaged materials or equipment may be appealed to the superintendent. The superintendent's or designee’s decision may be appealed to the board. Care will be exercised by advising students and their parents, in writing, regarding the nature of the damages, how restitution may be made, and how a student or his/her parents may request a hearing. When damages are $100 or less, a parent and/or student has a right to appeal the imposition of a fine in a manner similar to that specified for a short-term suspension. When damages exceed $100, the parent and/or student may request a hearing in the manner provided for in a long-term suspension.

When the district withholds students’ diplomas for failure to pay a fine or charge related to lost or damaged school property, the district will publish and maintain the following information on its website: the number of diplomas withheld, by graduating class, during the previous three school years; and the number of students with withheld diplomas who were eligible for free or reduced-price meals during their last two years of enrollment in the district.

All fees will be deposited with the business office on a regular basis. The respective departments and schools will be credited by the amount of their deposit.

Revised: 02.20218; December 2021