Posted on 08/06/2009 1:17:29 PM PDT by Abathar
Indiana 1 Of 3 States With Public School Textbook Rental Fees
INDIANAPOLIS -- In the midst of back-to-school season, expenses for clothing, supplies, backpacks, lunchboxes and the like are expected, but some costs catch parents off guard -- such as rental fees for textbooks.
Indiana is one of just three states in which parents of public school students pay textbook rental fees, which typically run from about $100 to $400 each year, depending on the school district, 6News' Dan Spehler reported.
The additional expense is something that people who move into the area may not be prepared for.
Many parents don't understand why books aren't freely available in the state's public schools.
"It is a lot of money," said one public school parent.
The expenses are especially difficult for families with more than one child in school at the same time.
"I think the school should have to help out a little," said one parent. "They don't, so there's nothing you can do."
Asked if she thought it was unfair to charge rental fees for textbooks, Plainfield Community School Corp. assistant superintendent Mary Giesting said, "I don't believe it is. Here at Plainfield, I believe the average cost is about $100."
In some school districts, such as Carmel and Center Grove, textbook rentals for high school students cost up to $400 a year.
(Excerpt) Read more at theindychannel.com ...
We knew it was coming and so we have it set aside in our budget, but there seems to be a lot of angry parents this year who can't find the money they are asking for to send their kids to public school.
I wonder what they will do if a kids parents don't have the cash due to unemployment or other hardship? Send them home? I will have to ask one of my kids teachers that question, be interesting to hear the response.
My kids are through public school but I wonder, what in the heck is the estimated cost to educate a child in Indiana this year? Wasn't it something like 16,000 dollars per child recently? I could be way off but seems like I remember that figure...and it it is TRUE.....WHAT IN THE HECK ARE THEY DOING WITH ALL THAT MONEY....cost of three kids would MORE than pay one teacher's salary....my gosh....private school begins to look doable.
You bring up an interesting scenario. I’m bettin’ that the gov’t (you!) will be payin’ for those who claim that they cannot.
Levelin’ the playin’ field.
What the hell is this BS? Isn’t this what school taxes are supposed to be paying for?!?
The NEA thinks that fighting for same sex marriage rights is a bigger issue.
Let us know!
The books, bought with your tax dollars and rented back to you for a fee.
homeschool supporters in 3...2...1...
Why can’t the books be online or on a CD? Wouldn’t that help lower the cost & eliminate the problem of lost &/or damaged books? I suppose not everybody would have a computer, but most kids would.
I’m down here in Martintucky, my daughter is a senior this year and that will be about $350 for the classes she is taking.
I imagine Carmel and other districts would be a lot higher, which also begs the question - Why? Are their books better quality so they cost more? I think the schools must be subsidizing some of their other projects with this money also for their to be so much difference in cost of school books.
I decided to take a few college courses. So, for the past year or so I have taken a couple each semester, and the price of my textbooks is more than tuition. It is incredible to me that books cost so much. I try to understand the business model is such that books must sell for higher prices than a novel, but the prices for textbooks are ridiculous.
Again, Why is it that we pay taxes?
My question exactly!
Limit will be $88,000 for a family of four? :-)
ping for your list
Good question, the law says that children HAVE to be offered a public education. I imagine there are many parents that can’t pay and probably some that just refuse to pay. My guess would be that those that pay for books are forced to share with the deadbeats
“I wonder what they will do if a kids parents don’t have the cash due to unemployment or other hardship? “
Here in Elkhart Co. they send it in for collection. And then if the fees aren’t paid they hold your kid’s diploma until they are paid. My daughter had $1.00 balance for a library book she ruined (which I remember paying for several times!) and they held her diploma. She had to go in and pay it again. She had friends who’s parent owed hundreds. Of course they still graduated but they just don’t get that piece of paper that the rest of the kids get.
And of course the parents get hounded by the collection agency until they pay up. I’m not excusing the not paying, after all I paid for my kids but it’s just kinda crappy the way they treat you.
I think that you have to calculate eligibility via a number of factors. Race, of course, will be the major contributing factor. :-o
When we moved down here from Michigan and they told us we would have to pay to send our kids to public schools we just sat there stunned. Then they told us how much it would be and we about s***.
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