4:045 AP2 Recovery of Delinquent Debt

Recovery of delinquent school fees and should be used in connection with and serve as additional guidance to Board policy 4:045 Insufficient Fund Checks and Debt Recovery and 4:140 Waiver of Student Fees.  

Definitions

Delinquent account means any account that is more than sixty (60) days past due.

Payment plan means a commitment to pay fees or any outstanding balance on a monthly basis and prior to the end of the current school year.

Guidelines

The following guidelines shall be used for delinquent accounts:

  1. Students with delinquent accounts shall not be denied participation from student activities.
  2. Students should not be singled out or asked about delinquent accounts. In most cases, students do not have control overpayment of fees.
  3. If the family is not eligible for a fee waiver, they are responsible for all required fees.
  4. At the time of registration, parents/guardians should be advised of any prior outstanding balance and an attempt to collect the balance due made.
  5. A delinquent account may be placed on a payment plan at the parent/guardian’s request.

Payment Priority

When money is collected on delinquent accounts, the following list is the order in which such money shall be applied to any outstanding balances:

  1. Outstanding balance from prior school year(s)
  2. General registration fees
  3. Course fees
  4. Co-curricular/ athletic fees
  5. Other fees
    1. Student parking
    2. Yearbook
    3. Other miscellaneous fees

Outstanding Lunch Account Balances

Until the account is considered delinquent, notices and conditions related to outstanding lunch balances will be coordinated by the school office:

  1. Students may not purchase any extras (e.g., cookies/chips/water) with a negative lunch account balance.
  2. When the lunch balance is more than -$10, a notice will be sent to the parent/ guardian by email or backpack reminder.  
  3. When the lunch account balance is more than -$20, the student may only purchase a sunbutter & jelly sandwich.

Delinquent Account Collection and Fees

Notices related to delinquent accounts will be coordinated by the Business Office:

  1. After thirty (30) days overdue, or when a payment plan defaults, a written notice shall be sent to the parent/ guardian by email.
  2. After sixty (60) days overdue, the account shall be considered delinquent and a written notice shall be sent to the parent/ guardian by letter and email.
  3. After ninety (90) days overdue, a written notice shall be sent to the parent/ guardian by certified mail, with return receipt requested.   
  4. If no reasonable challenge to the overdue claim is submitted by the parent/guardian, the overdue balance may be sent to a collection agency by the Business Office at the direction of the Superintendent or designee.
  5. After ninety (90) days overdue, a delinquency fee of 10% of the outstanding balance shall be assessed.  
  6. After one hundred twenty (120) days overdue and every thirty (30) days thereafter, an additional delinquency fee of $10 shall be assessed to the delinquent account.
  7. Any outstanding balances shall be carried over to the subsequent school years.

 

Date Reviewed: April 26, 2016