Education Funding

Seeking Back Fees, Schools Now Hiring Collection Agencies

By Katie Ash — September 04, 2007 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Parents in Mentor, Ohio, should think twice before “losing” that back-to-school letter asking them to pay for workbooks and gym uniforms.

Impatient about unpaid fees, the 9,000-student district is one of hundreds in the nation that have turned to debt-collection agencies to help rake in past-due fees.

“The real problem right now is that school funding is tight,” said Scott Ebright, a spokesman for the Ohio School Boards Association. “No one likes charging fees, and they really don’t like going after them. This is a tough situation they’re facing.”

In the past 18 months, the Mentor public school system has collected almost $40,000 through the services of Transworld Systems, a Santa Rosa, Calif.-based firm whose clients include the Girl Scouts of America and about 1,700 schools across the nation.

See Also

See other stories on education issues in Ohio. See data on Ohio’s public school system.

“It’s not just a financial issue. It’s equally a fairness issue,” said Daniel L.Wilson, the chief financial officer for the district, near Cleveland.

The Ohio state board of education allows districts to use such collection services. But it does not permit sanctions such as refusing to let a student graduate because of unpaid fees. Using collection agencies is not a technique many districts look forward to, said Ronald A. Skinner, the director of government and public affairs for the Reston,Va.-based Association of School Business Officials.

To ease the sting, some districts are choosing companies willing to tailor their practices to the needs of a sensitive client.

“Transworld Systems works with school districts to produce a more soft communication process with the parents, rather than a hard collection agency, which might be more aggressive,” said Amanda Levy, the marketing manager for the Ohio School Boards Association. “It’s done in a gentle way that doesn’t alienate parents.”

Mentor worked with the company to oversee the procedures. For families in financial need, the district is willing to reduce, or even waive, fees on a case-by-case basis.

“We’re not going to repossess anybody’s car or foreclose anyone’s house,” said Mr. Wilson, Mentor’s CFO.

A version of this article appeared in the September 05, 2007 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum How AI Use Is Expanding in K-12 Schools
Join this free virtual event to explore how AI technology is—and is not—improving K-12 teaching and learning.
Federal Webinar Navigating the Rapid Pace of Education Policy Change: Your Questions, Answered
Join this free webinar to gain an understanding of key education policy developments affecting K-12 schools.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Funding States Sue Linda McMahon Over 'Drastic and Abrupt' End to COVID Relief Aid
The sudden cancellation of extensions on spending COVID relief aid "triggered chaos," the states argue.
5 min read
Illustration on a cyan blue background showing a businessman's hand and suit arm as he controls the strings attached to each arm of a clock.
DigitalVision Vectors
Education Funding Trump Cut Teacher-Training Grants for Schools and Colleges. Now What?
Some educator-preparation programs have little hope of getting their money back, even if court cases advance.
10 min read
A man standing on the edge of a one dollar bill that is folded downward to look like a funding cliff.
iStock/Getty
Education Funding States Urge McMahon to Restore Federal Funds She Canceled Without Notice
New York's education department threatened legal action if the federal government doesn't restore pandemic relief funds.
10 min read
Person thinking to enter money maze puzzle.
iStock/Getty
Education Funding Schools Could Lose Millions in Federal Dollars After McMahon Changes Rules
The federal government has rescinded deadline extensions for a majority of states to spend remaining pandemic aid.
7 min read
Photo of calendar with pushpins on dates.
iStock