Brother can't afford public school, kids cant go, whaat?

override367

My niece is currently being denied public education, she's 14, because the school is demanding an enrollment fee of $100 which my brother doesn't have. He told me there's nothing he can do but it doesn't pass the smell test for me

He obviously can't afford a lawyer, and he has little free time and his wife is in poor health. This is in Illinois, but I'm 99% certain the school can't actually flat out tell you "no your kids cant go to school if you dont pay this". Am I wrong? I'm putting out feelers to UW about some pro bono work from a law student or something, but in the mean time it's 4 days into the school year and she hasn't been allowed to enter the building yet

My mom says he should just go to the principle's office and bitch and not leave that building until his daughter is signed up for classes, I'm not sure if that's the best option but it might work

Robos A Go Go

This is from the Illinois State Board of Education's "Registration Guidance for the 2012-2013 School Year."

http://www.isbe.state.il.us/pdf/guidance_reg.pdf

IV. School Fees and Fee Waivers

During registration and throughout the school year, school districts must be aware of families who believe that they are unable to afford school fees. Sections 10-20.13 and 34-21.6 of the School Code (105 ILCS 5/10-20.13 and 105 ILCS 5/34-21.6) require that charges for textbooks and other fees be waived for children whose families are unable to afford them, including children eligible for the federal free lunch and breakfast program and for any other extenuating circumstances for which the school board will waive fees (e.g., reduced-price lunch or medical emergencies). Each district must adopt a written policy and administrative procedures governing fee waivers; requirements for those policies are found at 23 Ill. Admin. Code 1.245.

For a list of waivable fees, click here: http://www.isbe.net/rules/archive/pdfs/oneark.pdf (23 Ill. Admin. Code 1.245(b)(1))
Many of you may remember that the criterion to qualify for a fee waiver was changed in 1989 by P.A. 86-195 from receipt of public aid to eligibility for free lunch and breakfast. School districts should ensure that those parents who do not wish to apply for the free lunch and breakfast program have the opportunity to request that their pupils' textbook and instructional materials fees be waived. Families may, but are not required to, show that they are recipients of aid under the Illinois Public Aid Code in order to have their fees waived. A family requesting a fee waiver must only provide evidence that it meets the income guidelines below, during 2012-2013.

Notification to Parents. Each school district must notify all parents of its fee waiver policy at the time the parents first enroll their child(ren) in school. Additionally, the first bill sent each school year to parents who owe fees must state that the district waives fees for parents unable to afford them in accordance with the district policy and must provide the name, address, and telephone number of the person to contact about fee waivers.

A district may, by policy, waive fees other than for textbooks and instructional materials. Parents should be informed of all fees waived by the district’s policy.

If your brother's family really can't afford the $100, I wouldn't be surprised if they qualified for some kind of waiver.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the school is refusing to mention the waivers because they figure that they can get more money that way, since at least a few poor families will still find a way to scrape together the money even though they shouldn't have to.

dresdenphile

Edit: Beat'd

override367

Well he's not poor, he makes good money, but he's in bankruptcy and they take more than a third of his pay every month right off the top, in addition to his wife's illness, disabled son, and even his daughter has a condition

I think he spends $30,000 a year on healthcare, doesn't have the best insurance in the world, so he lives like I used to back when I worked for minimum wage

override367

This section:

Punishment or Discrimination Prohibited. Section 28-19.2 of the School Code (105 ILCS 5/28-
19.2) prohibits punishment or discrimination of any kind against a student whose parents are
unable to purchase required textbooks and instructional materials or to pay required fees. This
prohibition includes the lowering of grades, exclusion from classes, withholding of diplomas and
exclusion from graduation ceremonies.
However, a school may elect to send only the unofficial transcript for a transfer student when the
student has unpaid fees. See 23 Ill. Admin. Code 375.75(h). The transferring school may refuse to
send the official transcript until fees are paid or payment arrangements have been made.

Thanks dresdenphile!

override367

Wow that was productive, I took care of it for him and it took five minutes

See you just need to sound like someone's getting a lawsuit and they get cooperative real fast

dresden I owe you some internet dollars