Box Elder officials outline new school‑fee rules after state’s HB344; parents urge options for low‑income students

Assistant Superintendent Keith Meekum told the Box Elder School District Board of Education on Tuesday that changes enacted by the Utah Legislature this year will end the district's long‑standing general class fee and require itemized course fees by class.

Meekum said the district previously charged a single general class fee by grade (for example: $25 for sixth grade, $54 for seventh grade, $65 for middle‑school grades and $91 for high school) that allowed students to take any classes for that single price. "Per House Bill 344, we're no longer able to do a general class fee," Meekum said, adding that the district must now list and charge fees by specific course. He warned that the change will make some students pay more depending on the classes they choose, particularly in CTE and fine arts courses that require materials.

The change, Meekum said, means itemized middle‑school course fees will range from roughly $0.01 to $20 and high‑school course fees from about $1 to $38 for routine items; construction, advanced CTE and some fine arts courses remain among the highest cost categories. Meekum also said the district can no longer…