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Committee approves new school‑fee framework, creating defined non‑fee core courses and fee exceptions
Summary
The committee adopted a substitute to HB 344 that defines a set of ‘non‑fee’ core courses, allows reasonable fees for other courses and extracurriculars, requires transparency of fees, and creates a pathway for students to graduate without paying fees.
The House Education Standing Committee adopted Substitute 1 to HB 344, “School Fee Amendments,” and then voted unanimously to recommend the substitute favorably to the floor after extended discussion and public comment.
Sponsor Representative Jake Strong said the substitute responds to unintended consequences of prior law and stakeholder feedback. “What we’ve done is we’ve created a path where now we have certain classes… called non‑fee courses,” Strong said, listing English/language arts, health, mathematics, science and social studies as the protected core classes for which schools may not charge fees. “Anything that doesn't fall into those categories then becomes a possible fee,” he added.
Under the substitute, school districts may charge reasonable fees for courses and activities outside…
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