Request By:
Mr. Lawrence W. Allen
Superintendent
Caldwell County Schools
P.O. Box 229
611 W. Washington Street
Princeton, Kentucky 42445
Opinion
Opinion By: Steven I. Beshear, Attorney General; By: Richard O. Wyatt, Assistant Attorney General
You have asked this office whether, in light of KRS 158.107, a school may charge participants in a voluntary, no-credit athletic team of the school, a ten dollar ($10.00) fee to help with the costs of shoes, uniforms, and laundry expenses.
Such charges are not necessarily prohibited by Kentucky statute.
KRS 158.107(1) is primarily designed to ensure that no fees are levied for any activity which is tied in with or connected to the student's enrollment or full participation in any regular school program, with the specific acknowledgment that fees do not include items of personal attire, purchase or rental of musical instruments, or materials, other than instructional materials, which become the property of the pupil. Participants in a co-curricular, voluntary athletic activity which requires special equipment or attire may be charged a reasonable fee for such things, including their cleaning.
However, it should be specifically noted that KRS 158.107 does not permit the school to use any activity fee described above, as a profit-making venture. Charges to the student-participants must be limited to the actual cost to the school.
We trust this information is helpful.