BOARD Policy 19 SCHOOL FEES

Preamble

All students deserve access to a quality education in an Alberta school, regardless of their
individual circumstances or their ability to pay school fees. The services, supports and materials required for a student to meet the core curricular outcomes at a basic level as defined in the Guide to Education. (Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, Religion, Physical Education, Health, Art, Music) are basic educational services. No school fees will be charged for this. Examples include such things as textbooks, workbooks, photocopying and paper that are collectively required by all students. This excludes personal consumable items such as notebooks, pens and pencils etc.
Schools may wish to enhance educational services beyond basic education. Schools may set school fees for enhanced educational services with the support of their school community and in accordance with provincial legislation and this policy.
Under Section 57, the Education Act allows for the Board to charge fees to Parents/Guardians
provided:
1. They are used for the purpose for which they were collected;
2. They are the types of fees that are allowable under the School Fees Regulation.
At VCS the Board charges fees whenever necessary on a cost recovery basis to support programs and services offered by VCS. The Board annually reviews the School Fees policy and approves the schedule of fees.
School fees are due usually at the time of registration. VCS accommodates parents through payment plans as well as a Fee Waiver program.
Note: Some of the fees listed below do not exist at this time. The Policy provides for the flexibility to assess fees whenever necessary to avoid significant operating deficits or should additional course options be provided. Any new fee(s) that are not charged currently will be discussed with parents prior to enactment. The Board commits to providing transparency, rationale, and opportunity for parental input before considering any new fees.
Categories of Fees

1.Enhanced Education Services and Non-Curricular Services School Fees
a. Enhanced Educational Services: Fees for enhanced educational services are fees for services, supports and materials that are not required for students to meet the required curriculum outcomes successfully at a basic level but that if accessed through the payment of additional fees would enhance the student’s learning opportunities. Examples may include curricular field trips, programs of
choice, cultural activities, technology user fees, enhanced projects, and fees for options and CTS courses.
b. Non-Curricular Services: Fees for non-curricular services are fees for optional services, supports, and materials that are outside of the curricular program of the School. Examples include sports teams, musical instrument rental, clubs, agendas, athletic wear, and transportation, subsistence and accommodation for various travel requests.
2.Projects and Activities Fee (Currently No fee)
Unforeseen opportunities may arise during the school year that are deemed advantageous to students. The School is authorized to seek parental permission to assess a fee that was not anticipated nor included in the Board’s approved “School” fee.
3. it Fee (Currently No fee)
The school may assess a deposit fee while a student has possession of school property. A deposit fee may include, but is not limited to: books, locks for lockers, electronic equipment that the student may carry to/from school, musical instruments. When the items are returned, the deposit is returned. Notwithstanding the deposit, a student may be charged for loss or damage of school property.
4. Transportation Fees (Currently No fee)
Transportation fees may be levied to parents of students who ride a school bus in order to offset the cost of transporting students to and from school. Any transportation fees may not exceed the cost of providing the transportation services. If transportation fees are deemed necessary in the future, the decision will be informed by considering ride times, route distances, and the impact on the educational programming if there is a significant deficit between the cost of the service and the funding provided by the province.
Specifically:
1. Fee Determination & Consultation
1.1 Transportation fees, if necessary, will be approved annually by the Board following consultation with parents and the Superintendent, or designate prior to the annual student registration process.
1.2 Enhanced Education Services and Non-Curricular Services Fees are proposed by the Principal in consultation with the School Council and Superintendent and are approved by the Board prior to the annual student registration process.
1.3 Project and Activity Fees are proposed by the Principal in consultation with the Superintendent and School Council and approved by the Board. The Board will approve
fees, whenever possible,
prior to the annual student registration process. Otherwise, approval will be part of the annual budget approval process prior to May 31 or at the time established by Alberta Education. The School is authorized to assess additional fees in response to unforeseen opportunities; however, the School must consult with the School Council for advice regarding the intended purpose of any additional fees, the amount and the reasonableness.
1.4 Deposit Fees, if deemed necessary by the Principal may be proposed to the Board for approval. Deposit fees will be returned when the item for which the deposit was collected is returned to the School. The School reserves the right to charge parents for lost or damaged materials that belong to the School.
2. Fee Approval
2.1 Fees are approved by the Board with the exception of any additional Project and Activity Fees which may be proposed by the School in response to unforeseen but valued opportunities for students (see 1.3 above).
2.2 The Board will make every attempt to advise parents of fees at the time of the annual Registration Process but no later than the commencement of the new school year. Fee proposals are thus due for consideration at the Board’s Regular February Meeting. Delays may occur, however, due unavoidable factors such as a change in date for the budget announcements from Alberta Education. Budget submission to Alberta Education is due by May 31 annually but delays for various reasons often push this date back.
2.3 Any Fees approved by the Board prior to the beginning of the student registration process are due at Registration; otherwise, the fees are due within thirty (30) days of notice of the Board’s approval.
3. Fee Collection
3.1 The Board authorizes the Superintendent or delegate to establish payment plans for parents to accommodate individual circumstances.
3.2 The Board authorizes the Superintendent to establish a Fee Waiver (in full or in part) program so that no child is denied opportunities at VCS due to financial hardship. Such waivers will be strictly confidential on a need to know basis.
3.4 Initial responsibility for the collection of fees not paid in accordance with the established schedule shall rest with the Principal. Fees that remain uncollected after the Principal advises parents of fees owing will be referred to the Secretary-Treasurer. Parents may request a Fee Waiver at any time.
3.5 The Principal is responsible for the collection of School fees and must provide an accounting of the funds to the School Council and the Superintendent or delegate.
4. Fee Waivers and Appeals
4.1 VCS is a public charter school and, as such, does not deny access to its programs to any family based on undue hardship or the request for a payment plan.
4.2 VCS has established criteria and a process for parents to apply for a partial or full waiver of fees if financial circumstances warrant, as per the process outlined in Appendix A.
4.3 All fee waivers, whether full or in part, are valid only for the approved school year and applications for waivers/partial waivers must be resubmitted annually.
4.4 Parents have the right to appeal any fee set by the Board or School. Refer to Policy 12 “Right to Be Heard” and if that process fails, the parent may appeal to the Board as per Policy 14 Appeals and Hearings Regarding Student Matters.
4.5 Fee Refunds
All fees must be used for the stated purposes. Unused fees shall be refunded to the parents or students who paid them unless it was specifically stated at the time of a fee collection that “any unused fees may be used for another (stated) purpose, or carried over to the next year for the stated use.”
4.6 The School fee is non-refundable after October 1 of the school year for which it has been paid.
4.7 Transportation fees, if implemented, are non-refundable after January 31 of the school year for which the fee has been paid, due to service levels and costs based on parent requests for bus transportation. If a parent requests bus transportation after the beginning of the school year, the month in which the service begins shall be treated as a full month for fee payment purposes.
4.8 Project and Activity Fees are non-refundable once the expenses associated with the fee have been incurred by the School.
4.9 Deposit fees are returned at the conclusion of the student’s enrollment with VCS and within 30 days of the return of the loaned resources or equipment as long as the item(s) are in the same condition as when borrowed except for reasonable wear.
Items that are lost or damaged while in the possession of a student must be paid for by the student or parent. The charge will be based on the Principal’s assessment of the condition at the time of issue to the student.

Policy 19 Appendix A Fee Waiver Application 

If any of the following applies to your family, please fill out this form and return it to the school.
1.We receive assistance from a Provincial or Federal agency.
Attach a photocopy of one of the following:
●A current Medical Services Card
●A current letter from your social worker
●A current Client Reporting Card
●Evidence of coverage under AISH program

2.We are low income but not on Social Assistance.
Attach a photocopy of one of the following:
●A current Alberta Child Health Benefit Card
●A current Canada Revenue Notice of Assessment for you and your spouse or common-law partner, if applicable.

3.Other – Please fill out below the reason for request and discuss with Administration

Waiver requested for school year.
Waiver amount requested $
Full Name of Father and Mother
Student Name:
Address
Student Name:
Postal Code
Student Name:
Phone #
Student Name:
Parent Information

1 The personal information contained on this form is collected under the authority of the School Act and of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for the purposes noted above. The financial and other information provided will be maintained in a confidential manner and supporting documentation will be destroyed at the end of each school year.

Parent Signature: Date:
Approved by: Signature: Date:

Adopted: January 2023
Revised: February 2025
References: Education Act s.57 School Fees Regulation 95/2019