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Canyons staff outline fee-policy changes, warn of potential $900,000 hit and propose modest new fees
Summary
District administrators briefed the board on an annual fees-policy review and a draft fee schedule that could change if state bill HB344 passes; possible actions include adding a $15 transportation participation fee, charging convenience fees for credit-card payments and increasing a per-student maximum to $6,000.
District staff presented a statutory, annual review of the school-fees policy and outlined proposed updates to the district fee schedule at the Feb. 4 board meeting, and officials warned that state legislation could significantly change what districts may charge students.
Under a bill that staff identified as HB 344 (introduced in the 2025 session), registration fees would no longer be permitted beginning next year and the state plans to tighten the statutory definitions of fee courses versus non‑fee courses. Staff told trustees the change could cost Canyons roughly $900,000 across middle and high schools if implemented as written; district administrators said they will ask for a one‑year delay of some changes to allow implementation planning.
Staff outlined specific proposals that will come to the board for first reading on Feb. 18:
- A $15 annual transportation participation fee for extracurricular travel (estimated to generate about $75,000 based on roughly 5,000 participating students). Staff said transportation spending for extracurriculars last year totaled roughly $435,000 for longer trips.
- Options for recouping the annual cost of the district’s third‑party card processor (RevTrack). Staff said RevTrack fees cost about $200,000 a year. Administrators proposed either adding a convenience (card) fee for high-value, optional trips, or absorbing the cost into participation fees.
- Increasing the district cap on per‑student fees in special programs from $5,000 to $6,000 to accommodate high‑cost vocational courses such as cosmetology and some travel programs.
- Raising the maximum per‑trip amount for some travel approvals from $1,500 to $2,000 because of rising airfare and hotel costs.
Policy constraints and waivers: Staff reminded the board that state rules require fee schedules and spend plans to be posted online; fees must be based on the cost to provide the course or activity and must include a documented fee‑waiver process so no student is denied participation. They noted eligibility criteria (for example, SNAP eligibility) that already trigger automatic waivers under current policy.
Communication and administration: Board members raised concerns about inconsistent communications to parents about when class fees appear in Skyward and the mix of online payments versus checks. Staff acknowledged the district should improve messages to families about timing and payment methods and said financial secretaries will work with schools to standardize practice.
No vote was taken. Staff said they will return with a formal proposed fee schedule on Feb. 18 for first reading and asked for direction on the convenience‑fee approach and the proposed transportation fee.
