3 Maryland Counties Provide Students a Free Public Education!

Gazette: Course fees abundant in some state school systems, absent in others

State board concerned about charges following California lawsuit, settlement

by Andrew Ujifusa | Staff Writer

Only three Maryland public school systems do not charge families course-related fees, while others lack a clear policy on hitting up students for certain class costs.

In response to a September inquiry from Maryland State Board of Education President James H. DeGraffenreidt Jr., 21 of 24 school systems outlined a variety of approaches to charging students for various activities and materials, including for uniforms and for renting a calculator for math classes...

...Public schools in Caroline, Prince George's and Worcester counties told DeGraffenreidt they do not charge course-related fees... 

 ...Arts, design, computer, home economics and music classes consistently were subject to fees...

...The cost of key academic materials was not consistent among school systems. While Anne Arundel charged the $15 for calculator rental in math, Carroll County Public Schools' policy states that schools are prohibited from charging a rental fee for student use of calculators.

Every high school student in Talbot County Public Schools is issued an Apple laptop computer for their use at any time, but is charged a $40 fee for maintenance costs...

...The number of fees also varies widely around the state. Montgomery County Public Schools identified 790 separate fees at 30 of 38 middle schools and 21 of 26 high schools. The highest fee was $265 for a cosmetology kit. Allegany County identified 32 fees, the most expensive being $200 for miscellaneous band supplies...

...California's agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California might end up influencing how Maryland views the issue. The Dec. 9 agreement states that public schools must stop charging fees to students for lab privileges, textbooks, uniforms and other materials...