The following are specific exceptions to the prohibition on fees, charges and deposits at the kindergarten through 12th grade level (some legal provisions related to child care programs and adult education are not listed here). These fees, charges and deposits are legally permissible because they are specifically permitted by law. (Note: This list is based on legal authorizations, but the inclusion of a permissible fee, charge or deposit on this list does not necessarily mean that District schools currently assess the fee, charge or deposit). This list is not meant to be an all inclusive list.  The following fees, charges, and deposits are permissible:

1  Charges for optional attendance as a spectator at a school or District sponsored activity. (Hartzell, 35 Cal.3d 899, 911, fn. 14).

2  Charges for food served to students, subject to free and reduced price meal program eligibility and other restrictions specified in law. (Education Code §§ 38082 and 38084).

3  Paying the replacement cost for District books or supplies loaned to a student that the student fails to return, or that is willfully cut, defaced or otherwise injured, up to an amount not to exceed $10,000. (Education Code §§ 19910-19911 and 48904).

4  Fees for field trips and excursions in connection with courses of instruction or school related social, educational, cultural, athletic, or school band activities, as long as no student is prevented from making the field trip or excursion because of lack of sufficient funds. (Education Code § 35330(b)).

5  Medical or hospital insurance for field trips that is made available by the school district. (Education Code § 35331).

6  Charges for required medical and accident insurance for athletic team members, so long as there is a waiver for financial hardship. (Education Code § 32221).

7  Charges for standardized physical education attire of a particular color and design, but the school may not mandate that the attire be purchased from the school and no physical education grade of a student may be impacted based on the failure to wear standardized apparel “arising from circumstances beyond the control” of the student. (Education Code § 49066).

8  Fees for outdoor science school camp programs, so long as no student is denied the opportunity to participate because of nonpayment of the fee. (Education Code § 35335).

9  Reimbursement for the direct cost of materials provided to a student for property the student has fabricated from such materials for his/her own possession and use, such as wood shop, art, or sewing projects kept by the student. (Education Code § 17551).

10           Reimbursement for the actual cost of duplicating public records, student records, or a prospectus of the school curriculum. (Government Code § 6253; Education Code § 49091.14). There are two exceptions: First, no charge shall be made for furnishing up to two transcripts of former pupils' records or up to two verifications of various records of former pupils. (Education Code § 49065.) Second, if the cost would effectively prevent the parent of a special education pupil from exercising the right to receive copies of pupil records, the copies shall be reproduced at no cost. (Education Code § 56504.) 

11           Fees for transportation to and from school, and transportation between school and regional occupational centers, programs or classes, as long as the fee does not exceed the statewide average nonsubsidized cost per student and provided there is a waiver provision based on financial need. (Education Code § 39807.5).

12           Fees for transportation of pupils to places of summer employment. (Education Code § 39837).

13           Tuition fees charged to pupils whose parents are actual and legal residents of an adjacent foreign country or an adjacent state. (Education Code §§ 48050-52).

14           Tuition fees collected from foreign students attending a District school pursuant to an F-1 visa, equal to the full unsubsidized per capita cost of providing education during the period of attendance. (8 USC § 1184(m)(1)).

15           Fees for an optional fingerprinting program for kindergarten or other newly enrolled students, if the fee does not exceed the actual costs associated with the program. (Education Code § 32390).

16           Fees for community classes in civic, vocational, literacy, health, homemaking, and technical and general education, not to exceed the cost of maintaining the community classes. (Education Code §§ 51810 and 51815).

17           Deposits for band instruments, music, uniforms and other regalia which school band members take on excursions to foreign countries. (Education Code § 38120).

18           Charges for eye safety devices for a student to keep, at a price not to exceed the district's actual costs, so long as the school provides them free for use in specified courses or activities in which students are engaged in, or are observing, an activity or the use of hazardous substances likely to cause injury to the eyes. (Education Code § 32030-32033).

19           Fees for sale or lease of Internet appliances or personal computers to parents for the purpose of providing access to the school district's educational computer network, at no more than cost, so long as the district provides network access for families who cannot afford it. An Internet appliance is a technological product that allows a person to connect to, or access, an online educational network. The Internet appliances and personal computers referred to in this section are deemed supplemental and not an essential part of the school district's education program. (Education Code § 17453.1.)

20           Fees for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Diploma examinations for college credit, so long as (1) taking the exam is not a course requirement and (2) the exam results have no impact on a pupil's grade or credit in a course. An LEA may fund all or part of the cost of the AP test fee for an economically disadvantaged high school pupil or the IB test fee for a low- or middle-income pupil. (Education Code §§ 52240-52243; 52920-52922.) 

21           Fees for After School Education and Safety Programs, so long as no eligible student is denied the ability to participate because of an inability to pay the fee. (Education Code § 8482.6.)

22   Fees for child care and development services, except that no fees shall be assessed to students enrolled in the program for severely disabled children as stated in Education Code § 8250(d) or families receiving CalWORKS cash aid. Fees for state preschool, except that no family fees shall be assessed to students placed in state preschool by an IEP or families receiving CalWORKS cash aid. (Education Code §§ 8239, 8259(d)(3), 8263(g), (h), 8265, 8447(g), 5600.) Fees for supervision of children before and after school, except that no child who desires to participate shall be denied the opportunity to participate because of inability to pay the fee. (Education Code §§ 8487 and 8488.)