A technology fee is allowable as a textbook rental fee and would follow the same requirements. Fees must be based on actual costs. If a technology fee is charged to students, the district is saying that the technology is a textbook substitute; in which case the technology can only be purchased from the General Fund and not from PPEL. If a technology fee is charged, the waiver provisions must be honored.
If a deposit is charged to students, it must be a reasonable amount. The district should deposit the check, but hold the deposits in that account and not use the deposits to pay any expenditure, such as repair or maintenance. The amount of the deposit would be returned to the student when the computer/technology is returned to the district; however, the district may reduce the amount of the deposit that it returns to the student by the actual costs of damage inflicted by the student while the computer/technology was in his/her possession (or should have been in his/her possession). Refundable deposits are not subject to the free/reduced waiver provisions.
If the computer/technology is actually stolen and the theft reported, it is a theft of school property and is handled in the same way the district handles a theft from its computer lab.
The district should have a policy approved by its board on appropriate use, responsibilities, deposits, fees/fines, damage, and theft.