In an unorthodox move that has raised eyebrows and ire among parents, Herrera Elementary School in North Houston was recently caught charging parents a fee for late child pick-ups. As reported by Chron, the school enforced a $1 per minute charge for students picked up after 3:30 p.m., a half-hour following regular dismissal. The policy, which was not approved by the Houston ISD, has been halted by the district following complaints from parents and scrutiny of the practice.
Parents like Lydia Alaniz, who faced a $62 bill for a 31-minute late pick-up, expressed their frustration over the prolonged pick-up lines even when arriving on time. "Even if you're there on time, the pickup line will make it hard for most parents to get their kids before 3:30," Alaniz told FOX 26. She inquired about where the collected fees were allocated and was informed that the proceeds were used to compensate the front office staff for supervising children after hours due to a purported lack of budget to cover these expenses.
Upon discovery of the unauthorized fee, a Houston ISD spokesperson confirmed the immediate cessation of the practice and mentioned the district's initiative for corrective action. The spokesperson articulated to Chron, "HISD is aware that families at Herrera Elementary School were charged fees for late student pick-up. This is not an approved HISD policy. The practice has been discontinued, and the district is taking corrective action."
The fee collected from parents has faced criticism not only from the affected families but also from Hector Mireles, president of Texas Support Personnel Employees Local 1. Mireles expressed his skepticism about the legitimacy of the fee, asserting, "Any assessment of fines has to be HISD board-approved," according to a statement obtained by FOX 26. He further suggested that such a policy would likely not gain board approval.
The issue of enforcing late pick-up fees within the context of regular school schedules is relatively novel, and as such, clarity on the policy is being sought by multiple parties. The HISD has yet to provide additional explanation on the school's original decision to implement this policy, despite analogues in after-school programs charging for late pickups. FOX 26's inquiries to HISD on the matter remain pending.
