Tulsa Public Schools Policy 2621: Student Fees, Fines, and Charges
PURPOSE: To specify the conditions under which the board may/may not charge and collect fees and/or fines.
It is the intent of the board that:
- Those items that are necessary to and an integral part of its educational programs, activities and services be provided free of any fee or additional charge to the student and/or the student’s family.
- That district property provided to students/families for their use in support of district programs, services and activities shall be properly maintained and returned when requested/required.
All students shall be provided with the necessary equipment, materials and supplies sufficient to allow for the completion of any particular class or course with the highest possible grade without the burden of any added cost unless specifically noted below.
Students shall not be charged fees for classroom supplies, materials, textbooks, or equipment or for janitorial or maintenance supplies. Students shall not be charged fees for consumable classroom materials required for course/class completion such as workbooks, practice sheets, other printed materials, computer related supplies, etc.
Students may, however, elect voluntarily to buy additional materials/supplies external to the school or pay the school/district for those consumed but not required. Any use of additional equipment/supplies/materials, regardless of their source, shall be subject to the approval of the classroom teacher. The classroom teacher shall be responsible for collecting and accounting for the amounts necessary to reimburse the school/district for any associated costs borne by the school/district.
Projects completed using equipment, materials, or supplies acquired through reimbursement become the personal property of the student.
Students may be charged fees for the following provided that policies and procedures exist to assist indigent families in the payment or waiver of such fees as may be possible. This list is not meant to be exhaustive.
- Social and co-curricular activities (such as approved student clubs or field trip costs provided neither the membership nor participation on the field trip is required to successfully complete the class/course with the highest possible grade).
- Transportation above and/or beyond that required by board policy or procedure.
- Individual use items such as gown rentals, photographs, uniforms, towels, gym suits, and musical instruments and similar items that are considered optional for students.
- Before and/or after school care.
- Classes which are not required for academic progress, promotion, placement, or for graduation, for which no credit toward graduation may be earned, or which are offered outside of the regular school day as optional supplemental instruction or in adult, community or continuing education programs.
- Parking privileges if authorized by the board.
- Summer and intersession classes and programs.
Students may be charged a fine for a lost, stolen, or otherwise misplaced items while in their possession or for items returned that have been damaged. The amount of the fine shall be appropriate for the item’s replacement or repair.
The District may withhold transcripts or other records of the school for any child who fails to return a textbook or make payments for the textbook if not returned. The term “transcript” includes any record of a grade or grades given to a student by a teacher.