AP 522: Fees
Business & Finance
Background
Fees are charged to provide educational and transportation services that meet the needs of the community. Money raised from fees shall be utilized for the purpose which it was obtained. Fees for the Athabasca Delta Community School will be assessed independently based on the tuition agreement.
Definitions
a) Choice: shall refer to the right, as defined in the preamble of the Education Act, for a Parent, or Independent Student to choose programs and methods of learning; notably, for this procedure, “choice” is further expressed as either a “school of choice” or a “program of choice”:
i.School of Choice: shall refer to the potential for a parent or independent student to select a school, other than the school assigned by the Board for that parent or independent student’s geographical area, and as limited through legislation and by Administrative Procedure 304 – Attendance Areas.
ii.Program of Choice: shall refer to the potential for a parent or independent student to select an alternative program of learning, and as offered through any school.
b) Designated School: shall refer to the school, assigned by the Board to a specific geographical area, and as legislated by s. 10 of the Education Act: “Enrolment in school operated by board.”
c) Extracurricular Fees: shall refer to fees, charged on a cost recovery basis, for non-curricular items including the participation in clubs, sports teams, travel and other non-curriculum programs.
d) Full Time Kindergarten Fees: shall refer to fees applied to a Kindergarten program that is offered 5 full days per week. Fees are charged on a cost recovery basis for the portion that is not funded through education grants.
e) Nature Extension: shall refer to any non-curriculum, nature-based extension offered to kindergarten students.
f) Non-resident Tuition Fees: shall refer to tuition fees, with respect of an individual who attends a school operated by the board, and who is not a resident student of the board or any other board or the Government, and as legislated in the Education Act s. 13(2).
g) Pre-K Play Partner Fees: shall refer to fees, related to Play Partner options, that may be offered to 3-year-old and 4-year-old children residing in the community, in order to make Early Education programs more inclusive and diverse.
h) School Fees: shall refer to fees charged by the schools to enhance student learning opportunities; including field trip fees, event fees, student union fees, middle and high school option courses and instrument fees.
i) Transportation Fees: shall refer to fees that are charged for bus services for transportation to and from school.
Procedures
1. The Board shall annually approve the type and amount of fees that may be charged by the Division (Schedule 522A).
2. No parent shall pay a fee to offset basic educational services, or that is prohibited under provincial legislation, the Alberta School Fees Regulation and the Alberta School Transportation Regulation.
3. The Principal shall ensure the return of any underutilized fees as specifically levied for an activity or event as prudent to do so.
4. The Principal may assign fees at the school within the limits set by the Board on a cost recovery basis. Prior to charging the fee the Principal shall consult with the School Council on the amount and the reason for the fee. This consultation shall:
4.1. Ensure the fees are on the School Council agenda to provide all parents with the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback; and
4.2. Provide sufficient information as to the purpose of the fee and its intended use.
5. School Fee schedules shall be posted on each school’s website and shall clearly define Division Fees and School Fees, in addition to mandatory versus optional fees.
6. Schedule A shall be shared posted electronically on the Division website.
7. A student transferring in after the start of the school term or out prior to the end of the school term, may have school fees prorated or refunded as applicable.
8. Transportation fees shall not be refundable after the first day of school; unless:
8.1. The student is transferring out of the Division’s transportation boundary area, or
8.2. The student moves from one primary residence to another, impacting the applicable transportation fee.
9. Transportation Services shall determine the priority for ridership.
10. Students requesting a different location, other than their primary address, shall be charged the ridership fee based on their primary address.
11. Students requesting an additional address (for example, for child care, joint custody or similar) shall be charged a fee (as per Schedule 522A).
12. A Waiver of Fees shall be made available, based on income level or extenuating circumstances of all parents as defined by s. 47 of the Family Law Act unless there is a court order that directs financial responsibility. The Application for Waiver of Fees (Schedule 522B) shall be completed; the final decision for such waiver rests with the Associate Superintendent, Corporate Supports and Services.
13. Disputes arising with respect to the levied fees shall be brought to the attention of the Associate Superintendent, Corporate Supports and Services for a resolution.
Approved:
