Dear Independence Local Schools Families,
As we plan for the upcoming 2025-26 school year, we want to inform you about a minimal increase in fees for Pay to Play, technology, lunches, and student fees. For your reference, the 2024-25 school year fees are available for review here. While the district remains committed to keeping costs as low as possible for families, these adjustments are necessary to help offset rising operational expenses.
Even with this increase, the updated fees will still not fully cover the actual cost of providing these services and resources. However, we continue to prioritize efficiency in our budgeting to ensure students receive a high-quality educational experience without placing an undue burden on families.
What This Means for Families:
Athletic Pay-to-Participate Fees:
Individual (High School) - $125 per sport (cap of $125 per season)
Individual (Middle School) Grades 7-8 $100 per sport (cap of $100 per season)
Family Maximum - $300
The current fee rates have been in place since at least the 2015-2016 school year.
Technology Fees:
$30 for every student in grades K-12. This new fee will offset the cost of online resources that require a student subscription each year. Some examples are iReady, Brainpop, MathMedic, Clever, and First In Math.
Lunch Prices:
IPS: $4 IHS/IMS $4.25. Adult lunch will be $5.
The last time prices increased was in 2018.
Student Fees:
$90 for K,1,2,4,5,6,7,8, and $100 for grade 3 ($10 recorder fee added in for third grade only)
We understand that any fee increase can have an impact, and we remain committed to transparency in our financial decisions. Please note that at Independence High School, individual classes may still have fees as well. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me.
Thank you for your continued support as we work to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.
Sincerely,
Kelli Cogan
Superintendent