Glenbard Township High School District 87
Policy 4:140
Operational Services
Waiver of Student Fees
The Superintendent will recommend to the Board for adoption what fees, if any, will be charged to students for the use of textbooks, consumable materials, extracurricular activities, and other school student fees. Students must also pay for the loss of or damage to school books or other school-owned materials.
Students shall not be denied educational services or academic credit due to the inability of parent(s)/guardian(s) to pay fees and charges. The Board of Education shall waive all fees assessed by the District for students whose parents/guardians are unable to afford them under this policy. For the purposes of this policy, “school fees” or “fees” means any monetary charge collected by the District from a student or the parent/guardian of a student as a prerequisite to the student’s participation in any curricular or extracurricular program of the District. Students receiving a fee waiver are not exempt from charges for lost and damaged books, locks, materials, supplies and equipment.
“School fees” include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. All charges for required textbooks 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 extracurricular 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 extracurricular activities.
6. Charges for supplies required for a particular class.
7. Graduation fees.
8. School record fees.
9. School health services fees.
10. School lunch fees.
11. Driver’s education fee assessed pursuant to Section 27-23 of the School Code.“
12. Student Activity Pass. Effective after waiver has been approved and student has obtained the Activity Pass designation on their ID.
"School fees” do not include:
1. Library fines and other charges made for the loss, misuse or destruction of school property.
2. Charges for the purpose of class rings, yearbooks, pictures, diploma covers or similar items.
3. Charges for optional travel undertaken by a school club or group of students outside of school hours.
4. Charges for admission to school dances, athletic events and/or other social events not covered by the Student Activity Pass.
5. Optional community service programs for which fees are charged.
Notification
The Superintendent shall ensure that applications for fee waivers are widely available and distributed according to State law and ISBE rules and that provisions for assisting parent/guardians in completing the application are available.
Eligibility Criteria
A student shall be eligible for a fee 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 or student's family is currently receiving aid under Article IV of The Illinois Public Aid Code, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and/or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The Superintendent or Designee determines that the student is eligible because one or more of the following factors is present:
 Illness in the family; Unusual expenses such as fire, flood, storm damage, etc.;
Emergency situations.
Verification
Parents/guardians may obtain a fee waiver form from the Principal or Designee. School Districts are not required to use the National School Lunch Act as the basis for waiver of the student's fees. The Superintendent or Designee has the authority to review the request, require submission of additional evidence, and make a determination as to eligibility for a fee waiver.
The Superintendent or designee shall establish a process for determining a student's eligibility for a waiver of fees in accordance with State law requirements. The Superintendent or designee may require family income verification at the time an individual applies for a fee waiver and anytime thereafter but not more often than once every 60 calendar days. The Superintendent or designee shall not use any information from this or any independent verification process to determine free or reduced-price meal.
If the student receiving a fee 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.
Determination and Appeal
Within 30 calendar days after the receipt of a waiver request, the Superintendent or designee shall mail a notice to the parent/guardian whenever a waiver request is denied. The denial notice shall include: (1) the reason for the denial, (2) the process and timelines for making an appeal, and (3) a statement that the parent/guardian may reapply for a waiver any time during the school year if circumstances change. If the denial is appealed, the District shall follow the procedures for the resolution of appeals as provided in the Illinois State Board of Education rule on waiver of fees.
LEGAL REF.: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.13, 5/10-22.25 and 5/28-19.2.
23 Ill. Admin. Code § 1.245 [may contain unenforceable provisions].
ADOPTED: May 24, 1999
REVISED: August 6, 2007
REVIEWED: August 6, 2007
REVIEWED: November 23, 2009
REVISED: January 25, 2010
REVIEWED: September 13, 2010
REVISED: October 25, 2010
REVIEWED: February 6, 2012
REVISED: April 9, 2012
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