As every new school year begins, so do all the back-to-school to do lists! Districts nationwide are preparing plans for their school programs and the collection of fees that come along with them. From class fees to parking passes, schools are managing countless student programs that require payments. Many schools still rely on physical cash and check payments, even though parents may prefer to pay electronically. By leveraging an online School Commerce Platform, like MySchoolBucks, schools can simplify how they collect and manage fees district-wide.
Here's the top 5 fees we see schools managing each year and how to collect them more efficiently:
Class Fees
Class fees are among the most common fees students are billed at the start of the school year. These fees may vary from student to student, making them a bit more complex to track. For example, some may be general, like a student registration cost, while others are more specific to a particular course, like a lab fee or gym class uniform. Managing a variety of class fees means the total amount owed may differ depending on the student, their grade, and their classes.
To streamline billing parents for all class fees, you can use a School Commerce Platform (SCP) to connect to your Student Information System (SIS). This integration will allow important class enrollment details to be shared into your SCP. With this information, you can easily send digital invoices directly to parents to let them know how much is owed and when payment is due. Parents will be able to see all the class fees associated with their student in one place and can pay them all online.
With MySchoolBucks, you can even trigger invoice reminder emails that help ensure parents stay informed when fees are still due. We've found that schools who use invoicing typically see over 80% of fees are paid within 30 days.
School Supplies
Supply fees are another cost that families may be responsible for at the beginning of the year. Depending on students' classes, they may require specific items, like books, tools, or art materials. Similar to class fees, these fees can vary per student based on class enrollment. However, these fees are unique as they are associated with a physical item that may need to be distributed or ordered.
Districts could add these supply fees to their student invoices or they may choose to add them to an online School Store. For items that are optional, the School Store may serve as a good option to make them available to families but not required. With a robust SCP, your staff will also be able to generate lists of students who have purchased school supplies to help aid in distribution, if needed.
Fall Sports
Let the games begin - it’s almost time for fall sports! For students participating in athletic programs, many teams will require athletes to cover registration dues, purchase equipment, or pay for uniforms. Your coaches and athletic staff likely spend a fair amount of time in the early fall collecting these fees and tracking down payments. Additionally, athletic departments typically have other payments that need to be accounted for, like purchasing game day tickets, selling concessions, and collecting donations. With all this cash flow, it can become overwhelming to manage across all your sport teams.
Look for a SCP that streamlines the collection of all these various payments under one system. With MSB Tickets, schools can easily collect registration fees, sell tickets, and manage concessions all online. You can create a custom venue map where individuals can pick a specific seat they want to purchase and even store the ticket right on their phone. As an administrator, you can keep track of all your sales within the system, too, making it a simpler process for everyone involved.
Transportation & Parking Passes
Depending on your school’s policies, students may have transportation fees. Students that drive themselves to school will likely have to purchase a parking pass. If they take the bus, many schools require a transportation fee. Make sure you have clear policies in place so students and parents understand these costs, how to sign up, and where to pay.
With an SCP, you can assign transportation fees to student invoices or add parking passes to your School Store. By using a School Store for parking passes, schools can require additional information to be provided in a form prior to purchasing, like a license plate. You could also limit the number of passes available or restrict only certain students, like seniors, from having access to purchase. That way you gather the information you need and ensure you only provide the number of spaces you have.
Exam Fees
For many high school students, exam fees are another payment to consider. As students prepare for college, AP courses, PSATs, and SATs are commonly on the docket for their final year. Since these exams are offered through the school but facilitated by other organizations, districts have to manage the collection of these fees while also ensuring they are paid on time.
Student invoicing is an optimal option for schools to collect on these fees by requiring payment by a specific date. Staff can easily send emails regarding any outstanding fees and manage late fees when payment is overdue.
The start of a school season is a busy time for everyone. With a robust School Commerce Platform districts can centralize fee collection to make payments easier for families and staff. Reach out to our team for support as you continue to plan for the upcoming school year.