Source: https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/lr/fm/fma1701rev.asp
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 00:19:51+00:00

Document:
This Advisory is provided pursuant to Education Code section 49012(a) and updates Fiscal Management Advisory (FMA) 12-02 (April 24, 2013), as supplemented by the FMA 12-02 Addendum (October 24, 2013), FMA 15-01 (January 21, 2015), and FMA 16-01 (September 19, 2016). It reflects the most recent legislation and California Supreme Court interpretations.
All supplies, materials and equipment needed to participate in educational activities shall be provided to pupils free of charge.
The following analysis may be helpful when determining whether a fee can be charged: Is the fee specifically authorized by statute? If so, the fee can be charged. If the fee is not specifically authorized by statute, does it relate to an activity that is an integral component of public education? If so, the fee cannot be charged. Local educational agencies (LEAs) may also wish to consult their own attorneys.
Payment for the replacement cost for district books, supplies or property loaned to a pupil that the pupil fails to return, or that are willfully cut, defaced or otherwise injured, up to an amount not to exceed $10,000, adjusted annually for inflation. (Ed. Code, §§ 19911 and 48904.) Based on rules of construction, it appears that the word “willfully” modifies each of the phrases -- “cuts, defaces, or otherwise injures” -- that follows. Therefore, school districts should analyze, on a case-by-case basis, whether property has been willfully damaged. A blanket policy that charges fees for any damage to property would appear to be inconsistent with the statute.
A school district cannot require students to purchase or pay for a cap and gown if wearing a cap and gown is a condition of participation in a graduation ceremony. In Sands v. Morongo, 53 Cal. 3d 863, 873-874 (1991), cert. denied, 505 U.S. 1218 (1992), the California Supreme Court found that the high school graduation ceremony is “an integral part of the educational process” because it recognizes cumulative academic achievement. Therefore, the graduation ceremony is an “educational activity,” pursuant to EC 49010(a), as to which a pupil fee cannot be charged. EC section 38119 only authorizes districts to rent caps and gowns from a supplier and provide them free of charge to students. Therefore, a cap and gown fee is not “otherwise allowed by law.” EC section 49011(e). The CDE recommends that a district that requires students to wear a cap and gown at the ceremony inform students that: (1) the district will provide caps and gowns for graduating seniors for use during the ceremony, and (2) students also have the option to purchase an appropriate cap and gown from a vendor. No student should be required to self-identify as indigent in order to receive a cap and gown from the district.
EC section 49011(b)(4) bars a school district or school, including a charter school, from requiring parents to perform “volunteer hours” as a condition of allowing their child admission, enrollment, continued enrollment, sibling preference, attendance, participation in educational activities or receipt of credit or privileges related to educational activities. EC section 49011(c) permits a school district or school, including a charter school, to request that parents volunteer a specific number of hours per school year, and to identify the benefits to the school district or school as a result of these truly volunteer services; however, such requests may not be coercive or imply a negative consequence to a student or parent.
A tuition fee or charge as a condition of enrollment in any class or course of instruction, including a fee for attendance in a summer or vacation school, a registration fee, a fee for a catalog of courses, a fee for an examination in a subject, a late registration or program change fee, a fee for the issuance of a diploma or certificate, or a charge for lodging.
As noted in 3 above, no statute specifically authorizes tuition for summer school. Therefore, tuition or any such fee or charge relating to summer school is prohibited under California Code of Regulations, title 5 (5 CCR), section 350, which precludes charging fees for educational activities not specifically authorized by law.
Writing and drawing paper, pens, inks, blackboard erasers, crayons, lead pencils, and other necessary supplies for the use of the schools shall be furnished under direction of the governing board of the school district.
Paper on which to write a theme or report when such theme or report is a required assignment.
Only some EC sections specifically authorizing fees have explicitly been made applicable to charter schools. Charter schools may only charge fees authorized by those EC sections that have been made explicitly applicable to charter schools. For example, charter schools can charge fees for food and field trips -- subject to the restrictions on those fees as described in Section II, G and I, above -- because the EC applies those provisions to charter schools. 20 Conversely, charter schools cannot charge other “fees authorized by law” in Section II above, except to the extent that any such fees do not relate to an activity that is an integral component of public education.
1 California Code of Regulations, title 5, section 350.
2 Ward v. Flood, 48 Cal. 36, 51 (1874).
4 EC section 49010(a); see Hartzell v. Connell, 35 Cal. 3d 899, 910-911 (9184). The Hartzell court suggested that fees for optional attendance at school or District sponsored activities that are purely recreational (rather than educational) in nature, such as a weekend dance or an athletic event, may be legal. Id. at 911, n. 14.
5 EC section 49010(b); see Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. No. NS 2469 (1940).
6 See Hartzell v. Connell, 35 Cal. 3d 899, 912-913 (1984).
9 The California Supreme Court has ruled that this statutorily-authorized fee does not violate the constitutional free school guarantee because home-to-school transportation is neither an educational activity nor an essential part of school activity. Arcadia School District v. State Department of Education, 2 Cal. 4th 251, 263-264 (1992).
10 A school must not require that a student pay an admission charge to an exhibit, fair, theater or similar activity for instruction or extracurricular purposes when a visit to such places is part of the district's educational program. Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. No. NS 2469 (1940).
11 The EC authorizes flexibility in the use of funds appropriated for Adult Education programs and deems LEAs who spend those funds flexibly to be in compliance with applicable funding and program requirements. EC section 42605(a)(1), and (d). The fees provision in EC section 52612 is not altered by EC section 42605.
12 Cal. Stats. 2011, c. 606 (A.B. 189), Section 2.
13 See, e.g., Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. No. NS 2469 (1940).
15 Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. No. 04-501 (2004).
16 Ops. Cal. Atty. Gen. No. 96-1004 (1997). The original Opinion referred to ADA lost for unexcused absences only. Since then, the law has changed such that ADA cannot be earned for unexcused or excused absences. (Ed. Code, § 48205(d), amended by Cal. Stats. 1999, c. 312 (S.B. 1208), section 1.) Presumably the previous Opinion likewise applies to ADA lost because of excused absences.
17 Ops. Cal Atty. Gen. No. NS-4114 (1942).
19 EC sections 49010(a), 49011(d).
20 EC section 35330(d) (field trips); EC section 49430.7(a)(2) (food).

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