The school establishes fees and charges to fund certain school activities (click here for a list). Students will not be denied the opportunity to participate in curricular and extracurricular programs of the school district due to the inability of their parent(s) or guardian(s) to pay fees or certain charges. Students whose parent or guardian is unable to afford student fees may receive a fee waiver. A fee waiver applies to all fees related to school, instruction, and extracurricular activities.
Applications for fee waivers may be submitted by a parent or guardian of a student who has been assessed a fee. A student is eligible for a fee waiver if at least one of the following prerequisites is met:
- 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 programs;
- The student’s parent is a veteran or active-duty military personnel with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.
- The student is homeless, as defined by the Mc-Kinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
The District will give additional consideration where one or more of the following factors are present:
- An illness in the family;
- Unusual expenses such as fire, flood, storm damage, etc.;
- Unemployment;
- Emergency situations; or
- When one or more of the parents/guardians are involved in a work stoppage.
Within 30 days, the Business Office will notify the parent/guardian if the fee waiver request has been denied, along with the appropriate appeal process. If you have questions regarding the fee waiver process, you may contact the District Business Office at (815) 788-5020.
Pursuant to the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act, the school is required to provide a federally reimbursable meal or snack to a student who requests one, regardless of whether the student has the ability to pay for the meal or snack or owes money for earlier meals or snacks. Students may not be provided with an alternative meal or snack and the school is prohibited from publicly identifying or stigmatizing a student who cannot pay for or owes money for a meal or snack.
Fines for loss or damage to school property are waived for students who meet certain eligibility guidelines.
