School Fees FAQ
This page contains some of the most frequently asked questions about school fees for District 401 students. To see the answer to a particular question, simply click any part of the section containing that question.
Yes. Enrollment in District 401 requires the payment of school fees each year. The amount for each school is set by the District 401 Board of Education.
Families are expected to pay their fees unless a fee waiver is obtained. A $30 fee will be assessed for all returned and NSF checks.
You may be eligible for a fee waiver.
The terms "school fees" or "fees" mean any monetary charge collected by District 401 from a student or the parent(s)/guardian(s) of a student as a prerequisite for the student's participation in any curricular or extracurricular program of the District.
District 401 does not impose a "fee" when it requires that a student provide his or her own ordinary supplies of materials (e.g., pencil, paper, notebooks), which are necessary to participate in any curricular or extracurricular program.
No. School fees will vary depending on the grades and type of school involved. A complete list of school fees for 2018-19 is available here.
The District 401 Board of Education sets the fees based on the advice of the District administration.
School fees for the 2018-19 school year have been set as follows:
► Pre-Kindergarten: $3,000 (monthly payments available)
► Kindergarten: $170
► Grades 1-8 (John Mills, Elmwood, Elm): $200
► Elmwood Park High School: $350
► Co-op/Alternative School: $50
Other fees for the 2018-19 school year include but are not limited to the following:
► EPHS Senior Graduation Fee: $60 (this fee is NOT eligible to be waived; the graduation fee is preloaded to your student’s webstore account)
► EPHS Advanced Placement Test Fee: $85 each (only for students enrolled in AP classes; fees will be loaded into student accounts over winter break)
► Driver’s Education Behind-the-Wheel Fee: $275 (sophomore behind the wheel)
You can pay by mail with a check or money order, or you can pay online with a credit or debit card via the District's webstore. (In the case of returning students, school fees have been preloaded to their webstore accounts.)
With either method you can pay by installments as long as your total amount is received by the final due date.
For more information about payment methods, visit the School Fees page on the District 401 home site.
School fees along with other monies due to the school (lost books, book fines, etc.) typically must be paid in full by early in the fall semester.
For the 2018-19 school year, the due date for students in grades K-12 to make full payment is Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018. Monthly payments are available for children enrolled in pre-K.
Returning students may begin paying their 2018-19 fees on Tuesday, May 1, 2018.
New students in grades K-12 who enter District 401 after the due date will have 30 days to pay all fees after they have enrolled in the District (unless they are eligible for fee waivers). Monthly payments are available for pre-K students.
It depends. The amount of your refund — if any — is determined by when you leave District 401.
If a student leaves the District after paying all required fees, the following refund policy applies:
► 75 percent refund if the student leaves by the end of the first week of school
► 50 percent refund if the student leaves by the end of the second week
► 25 percent refund if the student leaves by the end of the third week
► Zero refund if the student leaves after the end of the third week