The Lawrence school board on Monday will discuss the possibility of altering student fees owed every year and adding a device fee for the use of school technology.
The district currently charges basic fees to all students for transportation to and from field trips and for books, materials and technology. Additional fees come with a student’s participation in extra activities. However, there are currently no fees for the devices issued to each student.
In Monday’s work session, the board will analyze the district’s history with school fees and compare it to other school districts, according to the meeting agenda, but that information was not included in the agenda as of Sunday afternoon.
The work session is in preparation for an upcoming July meeting regarding fees for the 2022-2023 academic year. Student fees are approved annually by the board.
The school board will also hear a capital outlay fund report. The report includes the capital improvement plan, which is a summary of school facility maintenance and renovation as well as the purchase of equipment and furniture in schools.
The report will give a look into the allocation of project funds over the next three fiscal years, through the 2024-2025 academic year. The board will be asked to give approval a second time before the district begins any projects bid at more than $20,000.
In the hours leading up to Monday’s meeting, members of the Lawrence Education Association (LEA), the teachers union, will meet to discuss contract negotiations. LEA will meet in front of the district offices at 2:15 p.m., where leaders will share updates, plans for the upcoming school year and ways for the public to get involved in their efforts.
At 2:45 p.m., they will “enter the board room as a united front,” according to a Facebook event page. Negotiations will begin at 3 p.m.
The work session will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the regular meeting at 6 p.m., on Monday, June 13 at district offices, 110 McDonald Drive. Meetings are open to the public and livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel. Full meeting agendas are available at this link.
To give public comment virtually during the board meeting, email PublicComment@usd497.org by 6 p.m. on the day of the meeting to sign up to participate by Webex video/phone conferencing.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
More coverage of Lawrence Public Schools:
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
