3520 Policy – Student Fees, Fines and Charges

Bellingham Public Schools will provide an educational program for students as free of costs as possible.

The superintendent may approve fees for supplementary supplies, materials or services for which a charge is made to the student so long as the fee is established at a level to defray actual costs, students are free to purchase them elsewhere or provide reasonable alternatives and a proper accounting is made of all moneys received by staff for supplies and materials.

The board delegates authority to the superintendent to establish appropriate fees and procedures governing the collection of fees and to make an annual report to the board regarding fee schedules at the time of budget adoption. Arrangements shall be made for the waiver or reduction of fees for students whose families, by reason of their low income, would have difficulty paying the full fee. For programs governed by the National School Lunch Act, the USDA Child Nutrition Program guidelines will be used to determine qualification for waiver. The superintendent or designee will establish a procedure for annually notifying parents of the availability of fee waivers and reductions.

A student shall be responsible for the cost of replacing materials or property which are lost or damaged due to negligence. A student’s diploma may be withheld until restitution is made by payment or the equivalency through community work. The student or their parent/guardian may appeal the imposition of a charge for damages to the superintendent or designee.

The student and their parent/guardian will be notified regarding the nature of the violation or damage, how restitution may be made, and how an appeal may be instituted. When the damages or fines do not exceed $100, the student or parent/guardian will have the right to an informal conference with the principal. As is the case for appealing a short-term suspension, the principals’ decision may be appealed to the superintendent or designee. When damages are in excess of $100, the appeal process for long term suspension will apply.