Student Fees
STUDENT FEES
The Board of Education adopts the following student fees policy in accordance with the Nebraska Public Elementary and Secondary Student Fee Authorization Act.
The District’s general policy is to provide for free instruction in accordance with the Nebraska State Constitution. The District also provides activities, programs, and services that extend beyond the minimum level of constitutionally required free instruction. Under the Public Elementary and Secondary Student Fee Authorization Act, the District is permitted to charge students fees for these activities or to require students to provide specialized equipment and attire for certain purposes. This policy is subject to further interpretation or guidance by administrative or Board regulations. Students are encouraged to contact their building administration, their teachers, or their coaches and sponsors for further specifics.
- Definitions.
- “Students” shall mean students, their parents, guardians or legal
representatives.
- “Extracurricular activities” shall mean student activities or organizations
that (1) are supervised or administered by the District; (2) do not count toward graduation or advancement between grades; and (3) are not otherwise required by the District.
- “Post-secondary education costs” shall mean tuition and other fees
associated with obtaining credit from a post-secondary educational
institution.
- Listing of Fees Charged by this District.
- Guidelines for Clothing Required for Specified Courses and Activities.
Students are responsible for complying with the District’s grooming and attire guidelines. They are also responsible for furnishing all clothing required for any special programs, courses, or activities in which they participate. The teacher, coach, or sponsor of the activity will provide students with written guidelines that will detail any special clothing requirements and explain why the special clothing is required for the specific program, course, or activity.
- Safety Equipment and Attire.
The District will provide students with all safety equipment and attire that is required by law. Building administrators will assure that (a) such equipment is available in the appropriate classes and areas of the school building, (b) teachers are directed to instruct students in the use of such devices, and (c) students use the devices as required. Students are responsible for using the devices safely and as instructed.
- Personal or Consumable Items
Teachers may not require students to supply various personal or consumable items for use in courses. However, they may state that students are requested but not required to bring the following items for use in school. The school must supply any items required for course work but not brought by students. The district may set reasonable general guidelines on the use of consumables to avoid abuse and unnecessary waste of district resources. The district may require students to provide such personal and consumable items for extra curricular activities such as reeds for musical instruments, protective mouthpieces, and blank audio or videotapes.
- Materials Required for Course Projects.
Students in some courses produce a project that becomes their property at the end of the course. In those circumstances, students must either furnish or pay for the reasonable cost of any materials required for the course project; otherwise the project remains in the ownership of the school district.
- Extracurricular Activities
The District may charge students a fee to participate in extracurricular activities to cover the District’s reasonable costs in offering such activities. The District may require students to furnish specialized equipment and clothing that is required for participation in extracurricular activities, or may charge a reasonable fee for the participation in extracurricular activities, or may charge a reasonable fee for the use of District-owned equipment or attire. The coach or sponsor will provide students with written guidelines detailing the fees charged, the equipment and/or clothing required, or the usage fee charged. The guidelines will explain the reasons that fees, equipment, and/or clothing are required for the activity.
- Post-secondary Education Costs.
Some students enroll in post-secondary courses while still enrolled in the District’s high school. As a general rule, students must pay all costs associated with such post-secondary courses. However, for a course in which students receive both high school and post-secondary education credit or a course being taken as part of an approved accelerated or differentiated curriculum program, the District shall offer the course without charge for tuition, transportation, books, or other fees, except tuition and other fees associated with obtaining credits from a post-secondary educational institution.
- Transportation Costs.
The District will charge students reasonable fees for transportation services provided by the District to the extent permitted by federal and state statutes and regulations.
- Copies of Student Files or Reports.
The District will charge a fee for making copies of a student’s files or records for the parents or guardians of such students. The Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee shall establish a schedule of student record fees. Parents of students have the right to inspect and review the student’s files or records without the payment of a fee, and no fee shall be charged to search for or retrieve any student’s files or records.
- Participation in Before-and-After-School or Pre-kindergarten Services.
The District will charge reasonable fees for participation in before-and-after-school or pre-kindergarten services offered by the District pursuant to statute.
- 0. Participation in Summer School or Night School.
The District will charge reasonable fees for participation in summer school or night school, and may charge reasonable fees for correspondence courses.
- 1. Charges for Food Consumed by Students.
The District will charge for items that students purchase from the District’s breakfast and lunch programs. The fees charged for these items will be set according to applicable federal and state statutes and regulations. The District will charge students for the cost of food, beverages, and the like that students purchase from a school store, a vending machine, and a booster club or from similar sources. Students may be required to bring money or food for field trip lunches and similar activities.
- Waiver Policy.
Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches under United States Department of Agriculture child nutrition programs shall be provided a fee waiver or be provided the necessary materials or equipment without charge for (1) participation in extracurricular activities and (2) the use of a musical instrument in optional music courses that are not extracurricular activities. Actual participation in the free or reduced-price lunch program is not required to qualify for the waiver provided in this section. The district is not obligated to provide any particular type or quality of equipment or other materials to eligible students.
- Distribution of Policy.
This policy will be published in the Student Handbook or its equivalent that will be provided to students at no cost.
