A state audit has found that Utah public schools collected $71 million in fees from students last year, increasing by 29 percent over the last five years.
The Deseret News reports the State Board of Education audit released Thursday found that academic fees ranged from a few cents for library fines to more than $100 for lab costs and textbooks.
The audit found that fees for extracurricular activities were significantly higher with some schools charging more than $1,000 for activities like cheerleading.
The audit warns that without a cap on fees, students who are unable to pay risk being excluded, which could lead to students disassociating from school.
The state school board created a task force on school fees last month to review the findings and make policy recommendations.
