The Utah State Board of Education has released a fee waiver application for students in grades 7 through 12. According to the document, if a school receives verification of a student's eligibility, all fees must be waived for that student.
Eligibility for the fee waiver can be established through several categories. Students may qualify if their family receives TANF, FEP, or SNAP benefits, or if the student receives Supplemental Security Income. Other qualifying factors include being under the McKinney-Vento Act, being in foster care, or being in state custody under the Utah Department of Child and Family Services or the Utah Juvenile Justice Department.
Students may also qualify based on family or household income. For these applicants, income verification such as pay stubs, tax returns, or income statements is required. The application notes that receipt of TANF assistance automatically qualifies a student for the waiver without further proof of income.
The application process requires specific documentation depending on the basis for the request. For example, McKinney-Vento eligibility is verified through a district or charter school liaison, while foster care eligibility requires an intake form from a case worker.
Once an application is submitted to a principal, school director, or school fee administrator, all fee payments for the student are suspended until a decision is reached. If the student is deemed eligible, the school is prohibited from requiring service, installment payment plans, or signed IOUs in place of the waiver.
Income eligibility is determined by looking at total household income from all sources compared to the number of people in the household. For the school year spanning July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, the document provides specific yearly and monthly income guidelines for households ranging from one to eight members.
