How Much Do You Pay for School Registration Fees?

When she registers her children for school this year, a parent on Grayslake Patch's Facebook page said it will cost her $875 for her five children. And she thinks that's outrageous.

"Whatever happened to public school and what do they do with our taxes anymore anyway? We do have some wonderful teachers. But like I said, where are my taxes going?" she said. She added that the fees don't include "school supplies, lunches, field trips, all the many, many other things requested throughout the school year."

When we asked parents on Facebook how much they pay for fees—and whether they think those fees are excessive—one woman on Grayslake Patch she pays $520 for her three children to register for school. Another parent on the site added, "With the amount of taxes we pay, yes, I think it is too much. It's not just the $160 at (Grayslake Central High School), but the constant books that need to be purchased for the English classes."

So just how much are school fees in the area? Patch gathered information for four local school districts, from both the districts' websites and from district representatives. 

Here's a look at what various districts charge for fees:

Elementary Districts

In Grayslake District 46, the fees start out at $100 for pre-kindergarten and half-day kindergarten. Grades one through four are $145, while the fees for grades five and six are $170. Registration for grades seven and eight is $190. 

Libertyville Elementary District 70 has kept its student textbook fees the same for the past six years, with the fee schedule as follows: students in kindergarten will pay a $60 student fee and a $20 technology fee; students in first through fifth grade will pay a $65 student fee and the $20 technology fee. For students in middle school, from sixth through eighth grade, the student fee will be $80 and a $20 technology fee.

At Woodland District 50, the fees are $100 for kindergarten, $130 for grades one through five and $165 for grades six through eight. 

Per the district website, the district "relies on school fees to help offset the cost of workbooks, textbooks, classroom supplies, assignment notebooks, intramurals, Middle School yearbooks, clubs and co-curricular activities throughout the district."

High School Districts

Fees at the high school level can be substantially higher, depending on the courses a student enrolls in and whether he or she participates in activities like sports. 

In Grayslake District 127, the basic registration fee for sophomores, junior and seniors is $160. The fee for freshmen is $182 and includes a gym lock and gym uniform, according to the district's online registration guide.

There are extra fees, including for parking ($150), senior lunch option ($20), yearbook ($49) and athletic participation ($100 per sport, with a $400 cap per family). Driver education, behind the wheel, is $350.

There are also required course fees, including $12.50 for classes like Bakery Foods and Early Childhood Practicum, and $25 for Concert Band and String Ensemble.

At Libertyville High School, the basic fee is $160. There are also required course fees per semester. For example, there is a $20 fee for Accounting I, a $40 fee for AP Portfolio and a $50 fee for Lifeguard Training. The driver education fee is $195 and does not include the state driver permit fee.

Athletic participation costs $40 per sport, with the exception of lacrosse, a club sport that costs $260.

The fee structure is similar at Vernon Hills High School, with a basic fee of $160 and additional fees for various courses.

Parents, what do you think? Do you feel you pay too much for registration fees, or do you feel these fees are necessary? Tell us in the comment section.