Area 30 Board broaches lab fee issue

Acknowledging that there are questions regarding lab fees for the upcoming school year, not issuing them at the career center was discussed by the Area 30 Board Thursday morning.

Area 30 Executive Director Chad Nunley approached the board about information on lab fees as a “gray area” apart from textbook fees and other curriculars. He relayed that he had not gotten direction from the state as far as career and technical education is concerned.

Per a new law passed by the state legislature now going into effect, school districts are to be required not to charge for textbook rentals, iPads and Chromebooks. This is as $160 million has been provided to cover the costs, though a per-student amount is not clear.

For his part, Eminence Supt. Wesley Hammond related his understanding from legal counsel that fees generally are included. As such, he said his administration would eat these costs.

“If it’s direct fees from us (the district) that we’re charging, those would be on us,” South Putnam Supt. Corey Smith provided about where onus lies. “But if it’s a third-party fee, for instance like an AP (Advanced Placement) or dual-credit, that’s not us charging it, that’s somebody else.”

Smith and Cloverdale Supt. Greg Linton added that as those are student-specific, they are different from fees charged for classroom materials. These pertain to providing access to curriculum for all students, as the state has termed it.

“I think we’ll be okay with most certifications,” Nunley said as to Area 30’s needs, noting support from its Perkins Grants and increased state funding for such.

As the final consideration, Nunley asked the board if there could be room for per-student-based book fees from their districts to cover third-party ones at Area 30. Linton said, however, that how those could be reimbursed is even grayer.

“I think the answer is, probably, we’re not gonna have any extra,” Linton said, cautioning that not accruing fees will be a “substantial” hit to school districts’ finances on the whole. “It may just have to be a function of the budget next year.”

Nunley said directors from other career centers have suggested fees as a line item. Ultimately, there was a consensus that more clarification on third-party fees is needed.

In other business:

• The board reappointed Michelle Cooper of Lewis & Kappes, Cindy Burnham and Brianne Bumgardner as the board’s legal counsel, treasurer and deputy treasurer, respectively.

• The board approved for its regular meetings to still be held on the second Tuesday of each month, with exception of a change with its meeting next month as stated below.

• The board’s officers for the new school year were approved. Linton took over as president, while Hammond and Greencastle Supt. Jeff Gibboney will be its vice president and secretary, respectively.

With Gibboney and Asst. Director Sharon Bone absent, Burnham joined Nunley and the board for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Area 30 Board is set for Thursday, Aug. 10 at 9 a.m. in the Old National Trail boardroom. It was moved from the previous Tuesday due to schedule conflicts.