St. Charles District 303 to drop cost of all-day kindergarten starting this fall
St. Charles Unit District 303 families will see the cost of all-day kindergarten drop this fall, while high school graduate fees are expected to increase.
School board members recently approved the decrease as part of a school fee schedule for 2023-24. The fee will drop from $1,800 for nine months to $1,620.
"That number ($1,620) is the same as what our earlybird fee was last year. Because most families have taken advantage of that earlybird fee, we know that our budget can sustain that," Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Justin Attaway said during the board's business committee meeting on Jan. 30.
High school graduation fees will increase from $30 to $50.
"We haven't increased the graduation fee in some years, and the $30 that we charge right now really doesn't cover what the district spends per student for graduation," Attaway said.
However, the board has changed the district's policy to allow the fee to be waived for qualifying students.
"We want to make sure that all students are able to participate, regardless of their ability to pay," he said.
Band, orchestra and choir fees also will increase next school year. Currently, the fee is $40, regardless of whether a student is participating in one of those activities or all three.
"The main purpose of that fee is to fund some of the salaries and stipends that teachers receive for actually running those programs. And as our costs have gone up, the fee has not," Attaway said. "We are proposing to restructure where it goes to $50 for participation in one, $75 for two and then $100 for three at the elementary level."
There also is a small increase at all grade levels for instrument use. Students will see the current fee increase from $75 to $100 if they use a district instrument at school only.
At the same time, a rollover penalty that was charged if student fees were not paid by the last day of school is being eliminated.
"It's very rarely ever used, so we are proposing to eliminate that fee," Attaway said.
He said many of the fee increases, such as replacing locks - the fee is increasing from $6 per lock to $7 per lock at the middle school and high school level - are because of increased costs that are being passed on to the school district.
This is the first year that fees are being added at Compass Academy, a competency-based and career pathway public high school of choice in District 303 that is accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education. The fees are being added to match those in place at St. Charles North and East high schools, Attaway said.
As Attaway told board members, the district could be revamping its fee structure in the future.
"We are planning to do a deep dive into school fees next year and likely looking at the entirety, potentially restructuring the way we do school fees altogether," he said.