Dist. 207 fees for computers spreading out to lessen burden

For the first time next school year, Maine Township High School District 207 is proposing to allow families to pay the cost of a Chromebook over the course of four years, helping them to better manage costs.

That means most students will pay a total student fee of $355 a year, including costs for the digital devices that are now required in every classroom, officials say.

The school board Monday is expected to approve student fees for the 2016-2017 school year that families will be able to pay online - also a first for the district.

The fee level is down 6 percent overall, and will represent a reduction for most students, depending on what other courses they are enrolled in, according to Hank Thiele, the district's assistant superintendent of technology and learning.

Additional fees apply for some fine arts courses and driver education, among others.

"We've worked to level it out over the last four years, so really a majority of our courses cost between $20 and $40 a course for their resources," Thiele said. "Before we started moving to digital resources and changing how resources were selected, it could fluctuate wildly between $0 and over $300. We've kind of smoothed all that out."

Until now, families have been required to pay the full cost of a Chromebook upfront. The devices average about $270.

Under the district's proposal, the price of a Chromebook would be spread throughout a student's four years. Students who already have Chromebooks will pay $290.

This school year represents the first time students in all four grades have the devices now that the district's 1-to-1 computer initiative, which began three years ago, has been fully phased in. A number of suburban school districts have rolled out similar initiatives that vary widely in how much they charge families, or whether they charge for computers at all.

Students who are eligible for the free and reduced lunch program in District 207 are eligible for assistance with student fees, Thiele said.

The district plans to send a notice to families next week about the fees and ability to pay online. Payment using credit and debit cards will be accepted online, though families can still pay by cash or check at school bookstores.

Fees are due when school begins again in August.