Fees for learning materials and activities at schools

Schools and school boards may charge fees when offering:

• optional student activities and programs, such as school dances and yearbooks
• enhancements or supplementary learning materials beyond the core curriculum

If a fee is appropriate, the school or school board should make the fee as low as possible so students can participate regardless of individual economic circumstances.

Schools cannot charge fees for required learning and activities that students must do.

When schools and boards choose to charge a fee, it is important to:

• have policies to help ensure that fees charged are consistent with the purposes and principles of public education
• seek advice from school staff, parent involvement committees, Special Education Advisory Committees (SEACs), other advisory committees, school councils, parents, students and the school community
• include a goal of full student participation in school programs and activities regardless of individual economic circumstances
• support and protect staff and volunteers through practices that promote accountability for the handling and management of the proceeds raised from fees

Funding for publicly-funded school boards

The Ministry of Education provides funding to school boards for materials and activities as part of school board operating budgets.

In general, there should be no fees charged for day school programs, other than tuition fees for non-resident students subject to the Education Act.

Learn more about how we fund schools.

This webpage is the Ministry of Education’s guideline on school fees for publicly-funded school boards and schools. This guideline:

• identifies guiding principles and best practices
• provides a foundation for school boards to develop or review existing guidelines, policies and procedures for fees in the regular day school program
• provides examples of appropriate and inappropriate practices

The best practices and examples in this guideline are not a comprehensive list.

The fees in this guideline do not include:

• tuition fees for visa students, international students, First Nations students attending pursuant to a tuition agreement, adult or continuing education students
• fees for early learning programs offered outside the regular school day or other before- or after-school programs

On all legal questions relating to the subjects in this guideline, school boards should rely on the advice of their own legal counsel.

Schools may ask parents to contribute time, money or materials to support enhanced or optional programming or activities.

A fee may be appropriate for an activity, material, course or program that meets at least 1 of these criteria:

• not required as part of the regular day school program
• voluntary and alternatives are offered
• non-essential or extracurricular in nature and is not required for graduation by an individual student
• a voluntary upgrade or substitute to a more costly material instead of the material provided for course purposes

While no student should be excluded from participating in any school activity or event based on the ability to pay, some activities or events may require some recovery of the cost for participation.

Types of fees

Student activity fees

Student activity fees are voluntary amounts that supplement a student’s school experience through activities and the purchase of materials, such as:

• extracurricular activities
• school dances or theme days
• student agendas
• student recognition programs
• yearbooks

Enhanced programming and materials

Enhanced programming and materials are voluntary enrichments or upgrades to the curriculum or co-curricular activities beyond what is necessary to meet the learning expectations for a grade or course. For example, in some performance and production courses (such as music or woodworking), students may wish to use a superior product or consumable than that provided by the school, in which case they may be asked to pay the additional cost of the upgrade.

For the purposes of this guideline:

• co-curricular activities or materials are related to the regular day school program
• extra-curricular activities are outside the regular day school program

If a student chooses not to access enhanced programs or materials, alternatives must be made available. The school must provide, at no cost, the essential materials that are required to meet the learning expectations of the course or grade.

Optional programming

Optional programming includes voluntary courses or activities that students normally choose to attend through an application process, with the knowledge that these programs are beyond the core curriculum. Examples may include Advanced Placement and Hockey Canada Skills Academy programs.

Ineligible for fee charges

Examples of activities, programs or materials ineligible to be charged fees for:

• a registration or administration fee for students enrolled in any regular day school program
• a textbook fee or deposit (other than replacement or repair costs for lost or damaged materials)
• learning materials that are required for completion of the curriculum such as workbooks, musical instruments, science supplies, lab material kits and safety goggles
• fees charged for the creation of discretionary accounts by teachers or departments
• mandatory flat fees for any course leading to graduation other than optional programming
• a fee for a guest speaker, visiting teacher, or in-class field trip or presentation where the material being presented is a mandatory element of the subject or course
• items that are funded through the allocated budget of a school board including, but not limited to, learning materials necessary to meet learning expectations such as computers, workbooks, textbooks, staff development and training costs
• learning materials that are required to meet the learning expectations of the course, but are consumed by the pupil and cannot be used again by another student in the next semester (for example, a chemical used in a chemistry experiment)

Potentially eligible for fee charges

Examples of activities, programs or materials that are potentially eligible for fee charges:

• optional programming, such as Advanced Placement courses or Hockey Canada Skills Academy program
• extracurricular trips, events or activities that are extensions to the curriculum and not required for graduation (for example, dances, school clubs, theme days, athletics, drama, student council activities)
• extended student trips or excursions that are not necessary to meet the learning expectations of a particular grade or course (for example, trips abroad)
• optional art or music supplies or higher quality woodworking, design or technology materials that students choose to use for course completion, as long as the required materials are available at no cost
• student activity fees
• co-curricular activities, special events, program enhancements or field trips (for example, for costs of participation, rental of equipment or travel), if alternative programming and assignments are offered to students who choose not to participate
• student agendas
• yearbooks

With the support of the school community, schools and school boards may wish to offer programming and materials beyond what is necessary to meet the learning expectations of a particular grade or course. Developing a board-wide student fee policy will ensure schools are consistent and transparent about the way they charge fees.

Fees should reflect the following principles:

Complementary to public education

The purposes for which funds are collected are consistent with the school board’s mission and values.

Fees raised for school purposes are to complement and not replace, public funding for education.

Inclusive education

Each student should have an equal opportunity to benefit from the education system without being required to pay a fee. Students must be able to participate in school activities and access resources regardless of personal financial barriers.

School board fees policies should address financial hardship and support student participation in activities regardless of economic circumstances.

The dignity of every student and parent should be honoured in the school fee collection process. This means that:

• collection methods afford reasonable expectations of privacy for students and parents
• there is a respectful practice for discreet identification of students and/or parents who may be experiencing financial hardship and the practice is clearly communicated

Accountability and transparency

To ensure accountability and transparency over student fees, the school board put in place:

• a school board policy that address all student fees for learning materials and activities that is to be publicly available on the school board’s website
• financial reporting practices, including reporting to the school community

Schools must be compliant with their school board’s fee policy and guidelines.

Designing policies

When developing board-wide policies for fees, school boards may consider:

• establishing a limit on student activity fees
• setting limits for families with more than two children attending schools in the school board
• creating a central fund or subsidy program to support the full participation of students in activities regardless of economic circumstances
• implementing a confidential process to support full participation of students regardless of economic circumstances
• fee amounts should reflect the actual cost of the service or materials being provided to the student

Implementing policies

When implementing board fee policies in their school, a school principal may consider:

• minimizing, where possible, costs related to enhanced programming and materials (for example, speakers, dance instructors, in-class field trips) that are optional to a course
• making every effort to ensure all students can participate in student activities regardless of ability to pay
• where a student chooses not to participate, alternative assignments should be provided for students to meet the expectations of the course
• modest student activity fees for student agendas, student recognition, yearbooks, school dances, student council activities and clubs, photographs, extra-curricular activities and athletics

Members of the school community should be consulted in the development of a school’s fee schedule and made aware of the use of student fees.

Transparency and reporting

Schools or school boards should be transparent and make fee information widely available, including:

• the amounts collected and expenditures allocated
• fee schedules for the upcoming school year

For example, a school could include a fee schedule in fall school newsletters, post it on school websites and list it in student agendas.

These fee schedules should include:

• an itemized list of fees that states the rationale and purpose of each fee
• information about the process to confidentially address financial hardship