When your child goes to a Tasmanian government school you will find that there are costs that you will need to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Costs include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are eligible, there are a number of financial assistance schemes that can help you to cover costs.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n The levy you pay contributes to the cost of your child\u2019s education program, and includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your child is transferring to a new school during the school year, find out from both schools what their policies for refunds and levies on transfer are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some subjects there may be an option of extending a project or task at an additional cost. You will only need to pay this contribution if your child chooses to take up the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other charges for students may apply to optional activities. Examples are school social events, extra music tuition, and recreational or holiday trips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under the Education Act 2016<\/em>, principals develop their own school policy for levies and charges. They do this in consultation with the school community, through the School Association Committee. Because of this, levy amounts can vary between schools. Levies must be set at the minimum amount possible.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n Levies and charges are payments made by parents to their child\u2019s school. Levies incorporate required costs, and charges are for optional costs. Schools work hard to minimise the costs of levies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Levies <\/strong>include costs for items and services that are required to complete the normal educational instruction at the school. Levies include the cost of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any items which are essential to completing the student\u2019s core curriculum, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any services like excursions, performances and activities that are part of the curriculum, such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Levies are not payable by families of students eligible for STAS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Charges<\/strong> are payments made to the school for items or services that are optional. Charges may apply for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Textbooks, graphics calculators, and wearable items are not required to be included in the levy for students in Years 11 and 12 however work is underway to reduce costs to families for future years.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n These are not included in the school levy, even if these are part of a student\u2019s curriculum (e.g. language trips). These costs are charged separately and are not waived for families supported by STAS.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n As a parent of a child at a Tasmanian government school, you are a member of your School Association. You can provide feedback on levies and charges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have one of the following, your family is eligible for STAS<\/a>, and you do not need to pay levies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n More information can be found in the Student Financial Assistance Guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can pay school levies through a payment plan, which can extend throughout the school year. Please contact your child\u2019s school if you would prefer to pay levies on a payment plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your family is experiencing financial difficulty or hardship, you can contact your child\u2019s school to find out what support options are available. If you have any further questions, you can contact the Financial Services unit at stas@decyp.tas.gov.au<\/a> or on 1800 827 055.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n No. Students will not be prevented from participating in learning activities that are part of the curriculum if their levies have not been paid.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n If your family has not paid their levies by the due date and has not organised to pay by instalments, the school will be in contact to remind you that payment is due and will check to see if your family requires support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your levies remain unpaid after the school has sent two follow-up letters, the matter will be forwarded to Finance and Budget Services within the Department of Education to be followed up.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
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What do levies pay for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Levies when transferring to a new school<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other charges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Further answers about levies and charges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why do schools have different levy amounts?<\/h3>
What is the difference between a levy and a charge?<\/h3>
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Are textbooks and equipment for years 11 and 12 included in the levy?<\/h3>
What about interstate and international school trips?<\/h3>
How can I provide feedback on the levies and charges at my school?<\/h3>
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What should I do if I am having difficulty paying my child\u2019s levy?<\/h3>
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Will my child be prevented from participating in any learning activities if their levies have not been paid?<\/h3>
What happens if I do not\/cannot pay my child\u2019s levies and charges, and don\u2019t qualify for STAS?<\/h3>