School Fees

D’Arbonne Woods Charter School may charge student fees to help offset costs associated with the operation of specific classrooms or subjects. Students will not be denied or delayed admission nor access to any instructional activity due to the failure of the parent or guardian to pay a fee. Report cards and other academic records cannot be withheld for failure to pay a fee, pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:112(C).

D’Arbonne Woods Charter School Student Fees, Fines, and Charges policy and procedures will be posted on its website and included 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.

DEFINITION

Fees will include any payment or supplies required as a condition of a student to be enrolled in DWCS or participating in any extracurricular or co-curricular activities. This does not include payment for extracurricular activities or the cost of school meals.

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

Extracurricular activities are those which are not relevant, supportive and an integral part of the program of studies the student is enrolled and which are considered valuable for the overall development of the student.

REGULATIONS

• The school shall not charge or assess a fee unless the fee has been set and included in the D’Arbonne Woods Charter School’s approved Schedule of Fees.
• Fees charged for the same item or service shall be consistent among all grades at D’Arbonne Woods Charter School.
• 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.

FEE SCHEDULE

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.

ECONOMIC HARDSHIP WAIVER

A student or his/her legal guardian may request and receive a waiver of payment of a fee due to the economic hardship. Waivers of fees shall be granted based on objective criteria which shall include, but not limited to the following:

• Receiving unemployment benefits or public assistance including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, supplemental security income, or Medicaid.
• Is in foster care or is caring for children in foster care.
• Is homeless.
• Is serving in, or within the previous year as served in, active military service.
• Is eligible for free or reduced-price meals in schools not participating in the Community Eligibility Provision Program.
• Is an emancipated minor.

A written request or a waiver of fees shall be submitted to the School Counselor via the High School Secretary. Proof of eligibility shall be included with the fee waiver request form. A written decision on the waiver request shall be submitted within 5 business days from the date the form was received. Should the request be denied, a written appeal may be made to the Executive Director, who shall respond to the appeal in writing within 5 business days of the receipt of the appeal.

All records associated with the fee waiver request due to economic hardship shall be confidential, but not constitute a public record. Items may be audited to ensure compliance with the School Board’s policy. A student’s personally identifiable information associated with such a waiver request shall not be made public.

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 D’ArbonneWoods Charter School. A student shall not be denied the opportunity to participate in a classroom activity due to his or her inability to provide requested supplies. The maximum school fee shall be included in the Student Fee Schedule.

DAMAGE TO TEXTBOOKS/INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

D’Arbonne Woods Charter School may require parents and/or legal guardians to compensate the school for lost, destroyed, or unnecessarily damaged books and materials, and for any books which are not returned to the school at the end of each school year or upon withdrawal of their dependent child. Under no circumstances may a student of school age be held financially responsible for fees associated with textbook replacement.

Under no circumstances may the school refuse the parent/guardian the right to inspect relevant grades or records pertaining to the child nor may the school refuse to promptly transfer the records of any child withdrawing or transferring from the school, per requirements of the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Under no circumstances may the school deny student promotional opportunities, as a result of failure to compensate the school for lost or damaged textbooks. Students shall not be denied continual enrollment each grading period nor re-entry in succeeding school years as a result of lost or damaged books.

Students shall not be denied the use of a textbook or technology during school hours each day. The school shall annually inform parents and/or legal guardians of the locally adopted procedures pursuant to state law and regulation, regarding reasonable and proper control of textbooks.