The Board of Education will provide the necessary textbooks and/or electronic textbooks required by the course of study free of charge for its students. The Board may need to levy certain charges to students to facilitate the utilization of other appropriate materials for curricular as well as co-curricular and extra-curricular, noncredit activities. Such charges would be made on expendable items such as magazines, workbook materials, paperback selections, and laboratory supplies, and materials, for clubs, independent study or special projects, and District-sponsored trips.

A charge shall not exceed the combined cost of the material used, freight and/or handling charges, and nominal add-on for loss. Money received from resale of such material shall be returned to the Treasurer with an accurate accounting of all transactions.

When school property, equipment, or supplies are damaged, lost, or taken by a student, a fine will be assessed. The fine will be reasonable, seeking only to compensate the school for the expense or loss incurred.

The late return of borrowed books or materials from the school libraries will be subject to appropriate fines.

Any fees, fines, and/or other charges collected by members of the staff shall be deposited to the Treasurer within one (1) business day after collection. A place such as the building safe or a locked file cabinet shall be used for securing these monies until they are deposited with the Treasurer. At no time shall any staff member place public monies in his/her own banking accounts or commingle public monies with their own. Except in cases of extenuating circumstances, i.e., the inability to access the secure place in the building, public monies should not be taken to a person’s place of residence.

In accordance with R.C. 3313.642, failure to pay fees and fines may result in the withholding of grades and credit. In the event the above course of action does not result in the fee being collected, the Board authorizes the Treasurer to take the student and/or his/her parents to Small Claims Court for collection. Under no circumstances will the Board withhold the grades, credits, official transcripts, diploma, IEPs, or section 504 Plans of a student for nonpayment of fees for materials used in the course of instruction, if a complaint has been filed at any time in a juvenile court alleging that the student is an abused, neglected, or dependent child, or if the student has been adjudicated an abused, neglected, or dependent child. Further the Board will transfer immediately the grades, credits, official transcripts, IEPs, or Section 504 Plans of a student upon the receipt of either another district’s or school’s request for those records pursuant to R.C. 3313.672, or a juvenile judge’s order under R.C. 2151.272. The Superintendent may request a copy of any order regarding a child’s custody or placement issued pursuant to a complaint filed under R.C. 2151.27. The Board however, will not withhold records required to be transferred pursuant to this paragraph pending receipt of a copy of the order.

Annually the District will report to the Ohio Department of Education the number of students for whom it sent transcripts pursuant to R.C. 3313.642(D), and the total amount of unpaid fees lost due to compliance with that provision.

Nothing in this policy restricts the right of access of a parent or student to school records or to receive copies of such records, as required by Federal and State laws.

R.C. 2151.272, 3313.642, 9.38

Revised 6/28/10
Revised 12/16/13