Can’t put my kids in school

[PayrollHRGuy]

But this article doesn't address the issue: "I can't afford to pay my school fees and they won't enroll my kid." I question it.

Never said it did. There were some members questioning the issue.

 

[laurakaye]

Presumably the OP is a bona fide resident of that district...a point not addressed.

Last I dug into IL issues, a local school outside Chicago was being roasted because it actually did have the gumption to check out a student not entitled to a free education under federal law based on her F-1 status

F-1 status only applies to students at US universities or colleges. Was a local school district trying to apply it to a kid in grade K-12?

Correction added 8/22 - My statement above is wholly incorrect regarding F-1 status. Apologies.

 

[quincy]

But this article doesn't address the issue: "I can't afford to pay my school fees and they won't enroll my kid." I question it.

PayRollHRGuy linked to the article to show the different fees and how they could add up to $400, which is an amount I earlier questioned. But I was questioning the registration fee only and not the fees that can be added to it. These extra fees, on top of school supplies and school clothes purchased by parents, make Illinois public schools far from free education.

 

[laurakaye]

Never said it did. There were some members questioning the issue.

I'm sorry - I wasn't inferring you did. I worded that poorly.

 

[quincy]

I'm sorry - I wasn't inferring you did. I worded that poorly.

Yup. You did.

 

[laurakaye]

Yup. You did.

I was talking to myself. Didn't mean to write it out loud.

 

[HRZ]

I doubt OP is an F-1 status visitor...but F-1 most certainly addresses under what conditions and payments a person may attend a US public school k-12 ....like not at all but for 1 year at high school level in an approved school and upon payment of full tuition..tuition as defined bynFeds

 

[LdiJ]

F-1 status only applies to students at US universities or colleges. Was a local school district trying to apply it to a kid in grade K-12?

F1 visas apply to students in secondary school as well. I know of many parents who have sent their children to the US for High School because they want their child to speak English well. They stay with family or friends while they are here. They cannot attend public school however, unless they pay tuition to attend. Most of them attend private school.

 

[HRZ]

It's not a on sided call...often parents want expensive lap tops, music instruments, expensive books, and athletic equipment and zero accountability when things go " missing" and near zero accountability as to who really does live where or who really qualifies for free lunch and abismal ability to collect tuition even if it's proven parent used wrong school deliberately
....and I see some merit in pay to play things extra to core learning .

I get it that enrollment fees are far from a perfect answer ...I just have limited grasp on what is a perfect solution to "free" in a world where some IEPs have long exceeded $1 million each per year to deliver and some "regular " classes run packed to the gills and staffed by rotating ranks of "substitutes." Or sometimes 3 classes in one large room .

 

[LdiJ]

It's not a on sided call...often parents want expensive lap tops, music instruments, expensive books, and athletic equipment and zero accountability when things go " missing" and near zero accountability as to who really does live where or who really qualifies for free lunch and abismal ability to collect tuition even if it's proven parent used wrong school deliberately
....and I see some merit in pay to play things extra to core learning .

I get it that enrollment fees are far from a perfect answer ...I just have limited grasp on what is a perfect solution to "free" in a world where some IEPs have long exceeded $1 million each per year to deliver and some "regular " classes run packed to the gills and staffed by rotating ranks of "substitutes." Or sometimes 3 classes in one large room .

Lets talk about a family of 5, 2 parents and three school aged children and the parent's gross income is about 50k a year. This is enough that they do not qualify for any free or reduced anything, but still are living paycheck to paycheck just to cover the basis necessities. In IL they could have school registration fees (in IN its book rental) that could add up to as much as 180.00 for each student and a school supplies list that could add up to another 150.00. So, every August, on top of the need to provide school clothes for their children they are hit up with as much as 330.00 per child.

My granddaughter's school supply list included all of the things that you would normally expect to see on the school supply list, but also included the following:

A large roll of Duct tape (easily 6.00)
A large package of Clorox Wipes (easily 10.00)
A ream of copy paper (about 4.00)
Three packages of tissues (about 6.00)
Three rolls of paper towels (about 6.00)
Three Tupperware containers with lids (about 5.00)
A package of three white board erasers (about 10.00)
A package of six white board markers, (about 10.00)

So, my daughter's school supply list included about 60.00 worth of things that the students should NOT have to supply.

The copy paper makes me almost madder than anything else. Even 25 years ago school districts were limiting copy paper so much that teachers really couldn't function. Back when I had more money than I knew what to do with I used to have a vanload of copy paper and toner delivered to my daughter's school every year...divided up between the classrooms so that the district couldn't control it.

 

[quincy]

Home schooling has some advantages, I guess.

 

[not2cleverRed]

It's not a on sided call...often parents want expensive lap tops, music instruments, expensive books, and athletic equipment and zero accountability when things go " missing" and near zero accountability as to who really does live where or who really qualifies for free lunch and abismal ability to collect tuition even if it's proven parent used wrong school deliberately
....and I see some merit in pay to play things extra to core learning .

I get it that enrollment fees are far from a perfect answer ...I just have limited grasp on what is a perfect solution to "free" in a world where some IEPs have long exceeded $1 million each per year to deliver and some "regular " classes run packed to the gills and staffed by rotating ranks of "substitutes." Or sometimes 3 classes in one large room .

Please, just stop.

Very little of this has ANYTHING to do with OP's original question, and is only about your biased beliefs about education.

My kid is in a low ranked district with some seriously impoverished students, and your post is just plain offensive.

 

[I’m concerned]

I've read this entire thread; I'm confused (and alarmed).

Is this a correct synopsis of the situation?

The school won't register your son because you can't pay a fee that will be refunded if you are entitled to a waiver.
​

Have your children been enrolled or registered at this school before?

There are definitely exceptions if a family is:

• experiencing homelessness
• living here illegally

(But no exception for a US resident family who has fallen on hard times?)

If a kid isn't attending school, then the parent is in violation of the law.

Illinois law: If your children aren't attending school and you're not homeschooling them, Illinois requires they be in school. "The Illinois School Code’s compulsory enrollment law states that any child from age 7, until reaching age 17, who resides in Illinois must be enrolled and attend a public school in the district where the child lives, unless the child has graduated from high school, attends a private or parochial school or is physically or mentally unable to attend school."

https://www.isbe.net/Pages/School-Fee-Waivers.aspx
https://www.isbe.net/Documents/guidance_reg.pdf
http://www.wpcp.org/dnn/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=SDnxVMkyB_E=&tabid=216&mid=968&forcedownload=true

The amount is correct it is $312. for my grade and $318. for my 4th grader. This is without the MacBook Pro fee. They state very clearly they will not enroll my kids unless I pay $100. For each child and fee waivers not accepted until after this is payed. Also free lunch will not be offered to kids for the first two months. This $200. may not seem like a lot but when it’s between paying this fee and buying groceries well I have to feed my kids. I have tried everything in my power to work with them and they will not budge. The Ill school board tried to work with them and again they wouldn’t change. If you would like to confirm this you can google them as he states it on the website. John V. Leigh school in Norrigde Ill.

 

[quincy]

What did the lawyer say when you contacted him/her?

 

[Just Blue]

The amount is correct it is $312. for my grade and $318. for my 4th grader. This is without the MacBook Pro fee. They state very clearly they will not enroll my kids unless I pay $100. For each child and fee waivers not accepted until after this is payed. Also free lunch will not be offered to kids for the first two months. This $200. may not seem like a lot but when it’s between paying this fee and buying groceries well I have to feed my kids. I have tried everything in my power to work with them and they will not budge. The Ill school board tried to work with them and again they wouldn’t change. If you would like to confirm this you can google them as he states it on the website. John V. Leigh school in Norrigde Ill.

Did you contact an attorney as advised and or the media?