Fee hikes still on table in Lake Zurich Dist. 95
While a bad economy may keep Lake Zurich Unit District 95 officials from boosting mandatory student registration fees for the 2010-11 budget, other fee increases could be approved.
During a committee of the whole meeting Thursday night, school board members said they were reluctant to impose new registration fees a year after the district increased student costs and asked for donations to fund programs amid a tight budget.
"It's a very tough economy right now and there are a lot of people who are struggling," board member Jim Burke said. "Given that, I'm hesitant to increase any mandatory fees."
The District 95 board will vote on a proposal to increase fees for registration, facilities usage, elementary lunches, driver's education during the summer, replacement of IDs and transportation at its Feb. 25 meeting.
District administrators estimated increasing the registration fee by $20 per student would generate about $111,000 in additional revenue in the coming school year. The increase would be targeted at all grade levels except kindergarten.
Superintendent Mike Egan said that money could help fund printer cartridges, paper, computer repairs and LCD projector bulb replacements.
The replacement bulbs cost $200 to $250 each and last about two years. The district decided in 2008 to equip each classroom with a LCD projector by the 2011-12 school year as part of a technology initiative. Currently, 78 percent of classrooms have the units as a result of budgeting and donations, Egan said.
"With the impending switch to digital textbooks by states and school districts across the country, our curriculum and student learning will be more reliant on these technologies," he said.
While it appears unlikely the board will vote to increase the mandatory registration fees, the five other fees are likely to rise.
Elementary lunch fees would be 10 cents higher. The district currently loses five to seven cents per lunch.
Driver's Education fees would rise from $50 to $100 only during the summer sessions, Egan said.
The transportation fee would reach $450 and the student ID replacement fee would jump from $5 to $10.
Under the proposal, the cost for participating in sports, band and other programs will remain the same. The yearbook cost will not increase.