The Board believes instructional services, resources, and/or materials should be made available to students through provincial funding. Therefore, the Board expects that no instructional materials fees, instructional equipment fee, or instructional services fee will be set at the school level.

However, the Board recognizes and supports the long-standing practice of fees being set for a variety of other purposes. The Board also recognizes and supports the long-standing practice of parents providing basic supplies like pencils, pens, paper, basic calculators, graphing calculators, gym shoes and clothing for their children. As such, School Council shall review annually all fees and charges set by them. The Board therefore delegates the authority to the School Council to consult with parents and recommend to the Board any fee increases or decreases or any cost, including the rationale for the increase or change and to set fees for the following, provided an accounting for the fees being set is made to parents, the Office of the Superintendent, and back to the School Council:

1. Items of individual student use or ownership,
2. Non-divisional facility usage fees used for curricular purposes,
3. Curricular field trip expenses,
4. Transportation for school-based curricular activities,
5. Extra-curricular activities not mandated by the curriculum,
6. CTS materials/projects that are consumed or retained by the student, and
7. Board approved Alternate Programs.

Specifically,

1. A curricular activity includes all regular instruction. Curricular activities may also be outside the regular classroom and complement or supplement regular instruction. This includes project work and field trips. Participation in a curricular activity for which fees are levied is on a voluntary basis. Students who choose (or whose parents choose for them) to not be involved in a specific curricular activity where a fee is involved, such as a downhill ski trip, shall be provided with an alternate curricular activity. Such activities should not be used for disciplinary purposes. All curricular field trips should include all students in the grades for which they are planned.
2. The school shall, in consultation with the School Council, develop a means for identifying and assisting students and families that cannot afford the fees or charges related to a curricular activity. Requests for the waiving or refunding of fees shall be made to the principal who will be responsible for making the decision. In the event the principal’s decision is disputed by the parent or guardian, the dispute resolution process as described in AP143-Dispute Resolution Process for Parents will take effect. Schools are required to communicate the circumstances under which any fee or cost may be waived or refunded in multiple formats, with a minimum being inclusion in the school’s newsletter or website.
3. The Board expects that items of individual ownership will always be optional and never compulsory for students to complete requirements for their program of studies. Locks for lockers may be available to students as an item of individual ownership.
4. An extra-curricular activity is one that is normally outside of the regular school day. It may include sports, music, drama, theatre, debating, publishing or other activities that complement the curricular program. Student participation is on voluntary basis.
5. The Board expects that School Council approved fees shall be applied to a specific purpose and that a financial report shall be provided to parents and the School Council showing the fee revenues and actual costs. The accounting to parents should be provided upon request following the field trip, the end of the course or at the conclusion of the event or activity that resulted in the fee being set. The Board also expects each school to provide an annual report of all the fees and expenses to the Superintendent.
6. Generally, fees and charges for curricular or extra-curricular activities or for student ownership or facility use should be established during the annual spring planning process. The Board expects the fee schedule to be communicated to parents at the beginning of the school year. Any curricular or extra-curricular activity or student ownership item or facility fee that is added to the program during the school year is subject to the same process of School Council approval prior to implementation.
7. The Board retains the authority to set fees, after parental consultation, for the following, where no provincial funding is forthcoming:
   1. Tuition for adult students shall be based on the Provincial funding rates for various CEUs.
   2. Tuition for international students shall be approved by the Board annually.
   3. In-town transportation (Board approved annually), and
   4. System transportation (Board approved annually).
8. Fees and charges established by the Board shall be reviewed annually.
9. Fees and charges, either Board or School Council approved, shall be identified prior to the start of the school term and a list made known to parents prior to September 15.
10. Fees and charges shall be invoiced to parents and/or students as appropriate. All fees shall be for a specific purpose, applied to that purpose. Non-funded students shall be charged for instructional purposes.
11. Any fees and charges or changes to said fees and charges need to comply with current provincial legislation and regulations.