CPP Online Handbook: Reporting on CPP Revenues and Expenditures
Guidance on Charging Fees to Students Funded by CPP
A number of school districts and community programs have asked
for assistance in determining
whether they could charge fees to students funded by the Colorado
Preschool Program. While some fees are not addressed directly in the
CPP Act there are several statutory references that can inform
districts in determining legislative intent when establishing their
policies. Below is information clarifying what types of fees can and
cannot be charged to early childhood students.
Can we charge Colorado Preschool Program families a registration
fee?
CPP children are funded in the School Finance Formula to participate
in an early childhood program
for 360 hours per school year. Families cannot be charged a
registration fee as a condition of enrollment in the preschool
program funded by CPP (22‐32‐117 (2) (b) (I) C.R.S.). If the
preschool day is extended beyond the 360 hours a registration fee
may be considered.
Can we charge Colorado Preschool Program families a fee for
extending the day beyond what is required by CPP?
Yes. CPP statute is clear that if a program is extended beyond those
360 hours funded by the state
parent fees can be charged to parents.
However, a child cannot be required to participate in and/or
pay for those extended day services in order to be funded by CPP.
Most families in CPP cannot afford additional tuition payments or
fees and therefore they may access
other support services like the Child Care Assistance Program or
private scholarships to pay for the extended day (22-28-111 (1)–(2)
C.R.S.).
Can we charge tuition fees to children not funded in the School
Finance Formula by the Colorado Preschool Program or early childhood
special education?
Yes. Children under the age of six are not entitled to a free
education and as a result, school districts
can charge tuition for those children who are not supported by CPP
or early childhood special
education through the School Finance Formula (22‐33‐103 C.R.S. ).
Can we charge Colorado Preschool Program families any other
types of fees?
Before any fees are charged to families, there are several
questions that should be considered:
1. Has the local school board approved these fees? If any fees are charged to students in public schools, including preschool students, they must be approved by the local board of education.
Fees can only be used for the purpose for which they are collected and the board must be able to identify:
- A list of approved fees
- How the amount of fees was determined
- The purpose of the fees
- Whether the fees are voluntary or mandatory and which activities the child will be excluded from if the fee is not paid (22‐32‐117 (c) C.R.S.).
2. Will children eligible for free meals be exempt from these fees?
Children eligible for free meals are considered “indigent” and are therefore exempt from paying any additional fees (22‐32‐117 (1) C.R.S.).
3. Are the fees being charged for services considered part of the preschool program?
Miscellaneous fees can only be collected if they cover an activity or program that is not considered part of the academic portion of the program.
These fees can only be collected on a voluntary basis (22‐32‐117 (2) (a) (IV) C.R.S.) and the board has to identify what activity the child will be excluded from if the fee is not paid (22‐32‐117 (3) C.R.S. ).
4. If the school district is contracting out the program to a community provider have the additional fees being charged by the program been reviewed and approved by the CPP district advisory council and the local board of education?
When contracting out the Colorado Preschool Program, CPP district advisory councils must make recommendations for funding to the local school board (2228 – R 4.10 C.C.R.).
Then local boards of education must ensure that moneys transmitted to community programs do not supplant moneys available to fund other services provided by the agency or program (22‐28‐109 (2) C.R.S.).
Final determination for funding is the responsibility of the local school board (2228 – R 4.10 C.C.R).
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