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Parents urge removal of special-education fees as board approves 2026–27 fee schedule
Summary
Parents and advocates told the Lafayette Parish School Board that $15–$25 special-education and $20 gifted-enrichment fees on the 2026–27 schedule violate state guidance on a free appropriate public education; staff said the entries are class fees and not charges for special-education services. The board approved the revised fee schedule after debate and asked staff to confirm compliance and hardship processes.
The Lafayette Parish School Board voted to adopt a revised schedule of student fees for the 2026–27 school year despite public objections that the list includes fees for students receiving special-education and gifted services.
Parents at the meeting said the fees — listed in the proposed Appendix A as a $15–$25 special-education class fee and a $20 gifted-enrichment fee — conflict with state guidance about a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Mark Burgio, whose son is an autistic student, said the fees expose the district to legal risk and urged the board to remove the entries and reimburse families who already paid. Sarah Bennett, a…
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