Subsequent to the passage of the Public Elementary and Secondary Student Fee Authorization Act as presented in Nebraska Statutes §§79-2, 125 through 79-2, 135 in 2002 and as amended in 2003 the Holt County School District No. 21 is authorized to collect fees or other funds from students of this school district or require students to provide specialized equipment or specialized attire for the following purposes:  (§79-2, 133)

I.    Participation in extracurricular activities.

II.    Admission fees and transportation charges for spectators attending extracurricular activities.

III.    Transportation pursuant to Nebraska Statutes §79-241, §79,605, and §79-611.

IV.    Copies of student files or records pursuant to Nebraska Statute §79-2, 104.

V.    Reimbursement to the school district for school district property lost or damaged by the student.

VI.    Before-and-after-school or pre-kindergarten services offered pursuant to Nebraska Statute §79-1104.

VII.    Parking.

VIII.    Breakfast and lunch programs.

    Definitions.

Extracurricular Activities.  Student activities or organizations which are supervised or administered by the school district, which do not count toward graduation or advancement between grades, and in which participation is not otherwise required by the school district.

Governing Body.  A school board of any class of school district or an educational service unit.

    General Statement.

All students shall be expected by be well groomed and wear appropriate clothing as set forth in Policy 5505, Student Conduct and AR-5505.1, Appropriate Clothing and Appearances.  Students shall be responsible for providing traditional clothing apparel to meet the school district‚s general guidelines and any guidelines established by various programs in which students may participate.  (§79-2, 129)

The school district shall not be limited in its ability as a governing body to request students to furnish minor consumable items, equipment or attire, or to request donations of money or materials to defray cost if the request is made in such a way that it is clear that the requests are not requirements.  (§79-2, 127.01 and §79-2, 128)


Participation in Extracurricular Activities, Specialized Equipment or Clothing.

I.    All school-related extracurricular activities must have the approval of the administrator of schools or his or her designee.

II.    The school district will provide uniforms and normal protective equipment or pads for students participating in extracurricular activities.  The school district may require students to furnish minor personal or consumable items for participation in extracurricular activities.  These items may include but not limited to T-shirts, undergarments such as athletic supporters, athletic bras, and sweat socks.  Students will be made aware of the estimated cost of these items prior to enrollment in the activity.  Their costs will also be presented in the student fee schedule.  The school district will not provide equipment that may readily be used or worn by students in out-of-school endeavors or activities.

III.    The school district will not be responsible for the cost of, or for providing equipment or clothing, which may be specially fitted or worn exclusively by a student.  These items may include but not limited to: cheerleading or dance uniforms, special choir uniforms, T-shirts or sweat shirts with specific logos, golf clubs, ball gloves, ect.  Special medical braces or mouth pieces which may be individually fitted will be the responsibility of the student and his or her parent or guardian.

Admission Fees and Transportation charges for Spectators Attending Extracurricular Activities.

I.    The school district does not charge a fee for students to participate in extracurricular activities.  The school district may charge an admission to activities.  If activity tickets are sold, the board of education will determine the cost for student tickets to extracurricular activities that are held locally, except for conference tournament or play-offs sponsored or assigned by the Nebraska School Activities Association.  The school district has no control of admission fees charged by other schools.

II.    The school district will provide transportation or arrange for the transportation to all school-sponsored extracurricular activities at no cost for those students who have been authorized by the activity sponsor or activity director to participate in the event.

III.    If school officials authorize the use of a student spectator bus to transport students to a school-sponsored event, the administrator of schools shall determine if a fee should be charged to offset the cost of operating the bus and bus driver.  Individual students may be assessed a fee, or the fee may be paid by a student or school organization, by a student booster organization, or by a local organization or group of local citizens.  However, students will not be required to participate.


Transportation Costs Pursuant to Nebraska Statutes §79-241, §79-605, and §79-611.

I.    This school district will not be responsible for the transportation of enrollment option students to school from home, or from school to the student‚s home, except for those special education enrollment option students, which qualify for transportation under Nebraska Statute §79-1129.  

II.    This school district will not be responsible for the transportation of nonresident students unless such transportation has prior approval of the board of education.

III.    Based upon the policy of the board of education, Holt County School District No. 21 will either provide transportation or pay parents or guardians for the transportation of students who qualify for transportation, as set forth in Nebraska Statute §79-611.

Copies of Student Files or Records pursuant to Nebraska Statute §79-2, 104.

I.    Students in this school district and their parents or guardians, and district certified employees who have a need to know, shall have access to school files or records concerning such student.  No other person shall have access to such files or records unless approved by the administrator of schools.  School employees shall not divulge student information in any manner to unauthorized persons.  School officials will send copies of students‚ records to educational institutions.  Refer to Policy 5205, Confidentiality of Records.  If, in the judgment of the administrator of schools, the number of requests for duplication of a student‚s records becomes excessive, the school district may charge a fee sufficient to cover the cost of duplication and/or mailing of these records.

Reimbursement to the School District for School District Property Lost or Damaged.

I.    Each student shall be responsible for all school books or school equipment which he or she may use throughout the course of a program or school term.  School officials shall maintain a record of school books or equipment which may be issued to each student.  School officials may impose a fee if books or equipment are returned and exhibit excessive wear or are soiled, damaged, or are lost.

II.    The school district may assess a rental fee on student-use of school-owned equipment, including but not limited to musical instruments, electronic equipment, or other equipment.  Rental or use agreements shall be in writing and payments made prior to loaning the equipment.  The school district will maintain an inventory of the cost and or replacement value of the equipment loaned to a student.  The student and or his parents or guardians will be made aware of the estimated value of the item prior to paying the rental fee.  If the school-owned equipment is returned in poor repair or has minor damage, students may be assessed a fee to repair the item.  If school-owned equipment is lost or intentionally destroyed or damaged, the student and or his or her parents or guardians may be assessed a replacement fee.


Before-and-After-School or Pre-kindergarten Services Offered Pursuant to Nebraska Statute §79-1104.

I.    Each student shall be responsible for costs, including transportation costs, for participation in any before or after school program, or in any pre-kindergarten services offered by the school district, unless such services would be required or the board of education would vote to provide the services or programs without a cost to participants.

Breakfast and Lunch Program.

I.    The costs associated with any school breakfast or lunch program shall be consistent with applicable current state and federal laws and regulations.

II.    Individual students shall be responsible for the cost of food, beverage and any personal or consumable items which may be dispensed through vending operated by the school district or sponsored by booster clubs, parent groups, book clubs, ect.

III.    School Authorized Field Trips or Extracurricular Activities:  For field trips or extracurricular activities that extend over a noon lunch period or for more than a normal school day the school district will make provisions for those students who qualify for free or reduced price lunches under the USDA child nutrition program as follows:  

A.    The school district may purchase meals or provide sack lunches for all students participating in the activity.  Payment may come from the school district‚s general fund budget, lunch fund budget, or from the school‚s activity fund budget.

B.    Funds may come from a specific activity account, which may be funded by students through such activities as bake sales, car washes, or other student projects.

C.    Local activity sponsors such as booster clubs, parent support groups, or other local groups may pay for the meals.

D.    If individual students are asked to provide for their meals, those students who qualify for free or reduced price meals will be reimbursed for the cost of the meals.

Minor and Consumable Items

The school district may request students and/or parents or guardians to furnish or provide minor items and consumable supplies.  These may include,
but not limited to pencils, pens, paper, erasers and notebooks.  Students may also be requested to provide certain non-specialized items such as aprons for cooking or art classes or coveralls or jackets for shop classes.  (§79-2, 128)
The school district will not require a student to become a member of any organization as a condition for taking and receiving credit in a class.  If a student chooses to participate in any music, science, vocational organization or club, or other organization, he or she will responsible for any costs incurred.

The school district does not generally charge class or organization fees.  However, this does not preclude individual groups from voting to assess its membership annual dues.  Classes or organizations should keep the amount collected at a minimum and should have a specific budgetary plan.  The funds collected will be deposited into a specific class or organization account maintained as a part of the school district‚s activity fund.

Public Hearings and Distribution of Policy.

On or before August 1, 2003, and annually each year thereafter, the board of education shall hold a public hearing at a regular or special meeting of the board of education on the student fee policy, following a review of the amount of money collected from students pursuant to, and the use of waivers provided in, the student fee policy for the prior year.  The student fee policy shall be adopted by a majority vote of the board of education and shall be published in the student handbook or as an addendum to the handbook.  The board of education shall provide a copy of the student handbook to every student, or to every household in which at least one student resides, at no cost to the student or the household.

No student fee, specialized equipment or attire, or non-specialized attire may be required pursuant to the Public Elementary and Secondary Student Fee Authorization Act unless the maximum dollar amount of the fee, the specifications for the specialized equipment or attire, or the specifications for the non-specialized attire are specified in the student fee policy and approved by the board of education.  Reimbursement pursuant to Nebraska Statute §79-2, 127 (6), for property lost or damaged by a student may be required without specifications in the student fee policy.  NOTE: Refer to Student Fee Schedule attached to this policy for a list of fees, equipment or attire required by Holt County School District No. 21.

Establishing a Student Fee Fund.

The Holt County School district No. 21 shall establish a student fee fund pursuant to Nebraska Statute §79-2, 127 (1), (3), and (8).  This student fee fund shall be separate from all other funds not funded by tax revenue, into which all money collected from students pursuant to Nebraska Statute §79-2, 127 (1), (3), and (8) shall be deposited and from which money shall be expended for the purposes for which it was collected from students.

You may get a waiver form from the office for the following items or activities:  (A separate waiver must be turned in to the office for each item.)  Musical instrument, Course projects, Sports Shorts, 8th Grade Class Dues, Wrestling Shoes, Cheerleading Uniform, Field Trip Costs, Volleyball Knee Pads.
*The waiver form is due 5 days after issued by school official, as specified by the return date at the bottom of the form.