STUDENT FEES
The school district shall provide free instruction in accordance with the Nebraska State Constitution and the Nebraska statutes. 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.
A. Definitions.
1. “Extracurricular activities” means 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.
B. Listing of Fees Charged by this District.
1. Guidelines for Clothing Required for Specified Courses and Activities. Students are responsible for complying with the district’s grooming and attire guidelines and for furnishing all non-specialized clothing required for any special programs, courses or ctivities in which they participate.
2. Safety Equipment and Attire. The district will provide students, when needed, 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 buildings, (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.
3. Personal or Consumable Items. The district will provide students with personal or consumable items for participation in courses and activities including, but not limited to, pencils, paper, pens, erasers and notebooks. Students who wish to supply their own personal or consumable items may do so, as long as those items comply with the requirements of the district. The district will provide students with facilities, equipment, materials and supplies, including books. Students are responsible for the careful and appropriate use of such property. Students will be charged for damage to school property caused by the student and will be held responsible for the reasonable replacement cost of any school property that they lose. The district may require students to furnish at their own expense, minor consumable items for participation in extracurricular activities.
4. Materials Required for Course Projects. The district will provide students with the materials necessary to complete all required curricular projects. In courses where students produce a project that requires more than minimal cost for materials, the finished product will remain the property of the district unless the students either furnish the materials or pay for the reasonable cost of materials required for the course project.
5. 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 use of district-owned equipment or attire. The coach or sponsor will provide students with additional 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.
The following is a list of all equipment or attire required for participation in extracurricular activities:
Student activity card K-12 covers admission to all extracurricular eventssponsored by Banner County Schools, held at Banner County Schools. Price is set annually by the Board of Education.
Football Students must provide their own football shoes undergarments, and mouth guards.
Track, Cross Country, Volleyball, Students must provide their own Wrestling and Basketball shoes, undergarments and practice gear.
6. Post-Secondary Education Costs. The District may require and collect fees or other funds from or on behalf of students for post-secondary education costs. “Post-secondary education costs” means tuition and other fees associated with obtaining credit from a post-secondary educational institution. For a course in which students receive high school credit and for which they may also choose to apply for postsecondary education credit, the course shall be offered without charge for tuition, transportation, books, or other fees, except that if the student chooses to apply for postsecondary education credit, he or she may be charged tuition and other fees only associated with obtaining credits from a postsecondary educational institution.
Copies of Student Files or Records. The district may charge a fee for making copies of a student’s files or records for the parents or guardians of such student. 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 students’ files or records without the payment of a fee, and the district shall not charge a fee to search for or retrieve any student’s files or records. The district may charge a maximum fee of $0.20 per page for reproduction of student records in excess of 20 pages.
8. 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.
9. Charges for Food Consumed by Students. The district will charge for items that students purchase from the district’s lunch program. 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, vending machine, booster club or from similar sources. Students may be required to bring money or food for field trip lunches and similar activities.
The amount charged by the district for school meals is set annually by the Board of Education.
10. Charges for Musical Extracurricular Activities. Students will be required to furnish musical instruments for participation in optional music courses that are not extracurricular activities, but the District will provide for the use of a musical instrument without charge for any student who qualifies for free or reduced-price lunches under United States Department of Agriculture nutrition programs. Participation in a free-lunch program or reduced-lunch program is not required to qualify for free or reduced-price lunches for purposes of this policy. This policy does not require the District to provide for the use of a particular type of musical instrument for any student. For musical extracurricular activities, the school district will require students to provide the following equipment and/or attire:
Band Students must provide their own instruments and marching band shoes.
11. Contributions for Junior High and Senior High Class Extracurricular Activities. Students are eligible to participate in a number of unique extracurricular activities during junior high and high school, including but not limited to prom, various senior recognitions, and graduation. In order to fund these extracurricular activities, the school district may ask each student to make a contribution to their class’s fund. This contribution is completely voluntary. Students who chose not to contribute to the class fund are still eligible to participate in the extra activities.
C. 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, including musical extracurricular activities, (2) materials for course projects, and (3) 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 waivers provided in this section. The district is not obligated to provide any particular type or quality of equipment or other material to eligible students. Students who wish to be considered for waiver of a particular fee must submit a completed fee waiver application to their building principal.
D. Distribution of Policy.
This policy will be published in the Student Handbook or its equivalent that will be provided to students at no cost.
E. Voluntary Contributions to Defray Costs.
The district will, when appropriate, request donations of money, materials, equipment or attire from parents, guardians and other members of the community to defray the costs of providing certain services and activities to students. These requests are not requirements and staff members of the district are directed to clearly communicate that fact to students, parents and patrons.
F. Student Fee Fund.
The school board hereby establishes a Student Fee Fund. The Student Fee Fund shall be a separate school district fund that will not be funded by tax revenue, and that will serve a depository for all monies collected from students for (1) participation in extracurricular activities, (2) post-secondary education costs, and (3) summer school or night school courses. Monies in the Student Fee Fund shall be expended only for the purposes for which they were collected from students.
The board annually holds a public hearing on a proposed student fee policy. There is a review of the amount of money collected from students pursuant to, and the use of waivers provided in, the student fee policy for the current school year. This student fee policy was then adopted by a majority vote of the school board at an open public meeting conducted in compliance with the Public Meetings Law.
Legal Reference: Neb. Constitution, Art VII, Sect. 1 Neb. Statute 79-215 (tuition) 79-241 (option student busing) 79-605 (nonresident busing) (transportation fees) 79-734 (books, equipment and supplies) 79-2,104 (student files) 79-2,125 to 2,134 (student fees law) 79-1104 (before-and-after-school services) 79-1106 to 1108 (learners with high ability)
Cross Reference: 505.05 Fines for Lost or Damaged Items 506 Student Activities 507.01 Student Records Access 801 Transportation 802.05 Free or Reduced Cost Meals Eligibility 1005.01 Public Complaints
