District 214 Approves New Debt Collection Policy as Delinquent Fines Skyrocket

The amount of money parents owe in late fees and fines to Northwest Suburban High School District 214 has increased tenfold in just two years, the Daily Herald reports. 

In 2010 the district was owed $32,556 in delinquent fees and fines, two years later that number has jumped to $331,067, according to the Herald.

To collect on that debt, District 214 has a new policy that could force parents to pay up. Approved by the school board this month, the Chicago Tribune reports, the policy allows the district to enter in an intergovernmental agreement with the state comptroller to recover delinquent debt.

Basically, that means the state would have the power to garnish people’s tax refunds to recover money owed to the district.

While the district has no plans to make that collection agreement with the state at this time, it’s now an option for District 214 to recover delinquent debt, the Tribune reports.