FREE SCHOOLING

costs charged
to parents

Guide to free schooling in the youth sector

Financial contributions that may be required.

In recent years, several revisions have been made to the invoice that schools may, or may not, send to parents. But the principle of free education remains: going to public school should be free!
Here are a few tips to help parents get involved in managing free education in their community.

For further information

Consult the SHEET 8 of the Minister’s Mandatory Training (MCT) for governing boards (french only).

Consult the joint TABLE-SYNTHESIS from the Fédération des centers de services scolaires du Québec (FCSSQ), the Fédération des comités de parents du Québec (FCPQ) and the Regroupement des comités de parents autonomes du Québec (RCPAQ).

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND FREE SCHOOLING

Page of websiteof the Ministry of Education on school fees

Go to

Reminders from the Ministry of Education.

Download document

The principle of free education

In general, the materials and services our children use at school, for teaching and study programs, must be free of charge:

  • textbooks
  • teaching materials, such as :
      • artistic, scientific or physical education equipment
      • reading books and albums, reference works (dictionaries, atlases, etc.)
      • technological tools used in the classroom
  • hygiene items (handkerchiefs, masks, toilet paper, etc.)
  • classroom furniture and storage equipment (bins, shelves, lockers, etc.)
  • administrative services (registration, admission to a specific project, etc.)
  • and school transport (to a certain extent), among other things!

EXCEPTIONS TO FREE SCHOOLING

Only certain fees may be charged to parents, including :

  • documents and materials in which the student writes, draws or cuts;
  • equipment for personal use, such as :
    • school supplies ⇒ pencils, erasers, diaries, etc.
    • personal organization materials ⇒ pencil cases, school bag, etc.
    • and dress ⇒ physical education uniforms and clothing;
  • certain out-of-school activities and outings;
  • certain expenses related to specific educational projects (sport-studies, profiles, etc.);
  • lunchtime supervision and childcare.

Roles of the Governing Board

The Governing Board (GB) has specific responsibilities with regard to fees charged to parents, which must respect both the legal framework and the school fees policy of its school organization.

Guidelines for school fees

The GB sets the principles for managing the cost of materials not covered by the free service. This can take the form of a local school fee policy, proposed by the school management.

(It is not necessary to revise this local policy every year).

Annual list of fees and school supplies

Each year, the GB approves the list of school materials and fees that can be requested from the school’s parents, usually at the start of the school year.

THE SCHOOL BILL

This invoice must be CLEAR and DETAILED, to show what these expenses are to be used for.

It CANNOT impose a particular store or brand (except for activity or exercise books).

The total amount MUST NOT include a suggested amount for a voluntary contribution or donation solicitation.

Does your school have a student support activity that deserves to be better known? Give us details: formation@rcpaq.org

Other requests for financial contributions

The GB also approves all requests for financial contributions that may be made to parents during the year. For example:

  • financing and fund-raising campaigns
  • school photography
  • extracurricular activities and outings
  • sporadic daycare or lunch rates
  • catering service for dinners
  • charitable activities
  • and much, much more!…

Promote access for every student when fees are charged

Finally, the school board is also responsible for ensuring that every student has access to any service, activity or material that may require a fee, regardless of his or her means or family’s ability to pay.

For example, this can be achieved by implementing various measures:

  • a system for lending or exchanging equipment (computers, sports, music, etc.)
  • self-financing campaigns
  • a kiosk selling second-hand goods or clothing
  • a school store, etc.

Roles of the Parents’ Committee

The Parents’ Committee (PC) is now responsible for proposing to its school organization a policy on the financial contributions that may be requested from parents, or modifications thereto.

This proposal is then submitted to the Board of Directors for adoption in the French-speaking network, or to the Council of Commissioners in the English-speaking network.

toolbox

< RETURN