District 210 Updates Online Course Policy and Increases Summer School Fees

Lincoln-Way 210 Board of Education Meeting | Jan. 15, 2026

Article Summary: The Board of Education approved an increase in summer school fees and clarified policies regarding online coursework for high school credit. The new policy limits students to one online credit per year and migrates the district to a new, more robust digital platform.

Online Coursework & Fees Key Points:

• Fee Increase: Summer school and online course fees will increase from $180 to $200 per semester.

• Credit Limit: Students may elect to complete one online credit per school year (June 1 through May 31).

• New Platform: The district is transitioning to a new provider, Subject.com, which offers stronger controls against academic dishonesty.

• Requirements: Courses must be completed outside the school day and do not receive honors weighting.

The Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education on Thursday, January 15, 2026, approved a fee increase for summer school and solidified its stance on students taking online courses for credit.

Dr. Renae Goldie, Assistant Superintendent of Academics, presented an update on Board Policy 6:310, which governs high school credit for non-district experiences. The administration sought to increase transparency and equity regarding online course options.

Under the clarified practice, actively enrolled full-time students may complete one credit of online coursework per school year, defined as June 1 through May 31. This coursework must be completed outside of the regular school day.

“We need to rein it in and make sure that there is clarity on this,” Goldie said. “This is simply because it aligns with our current board policy. It is more transparent. It gives us more control over the course offerings.”

The district is also transitioning to a new online platform, which Goldie described as more rigorous than previous options. She noted that the new platform addresses concerns raised by the District 210 Advisory Committee regarding academic integrity and the potential use of artificial intelligence to complete assignments.

“I can definitely tell you that it is in alignment with all the standards that we do,” Goldie said regarding the new platform’s curriculum. “It’s not a program that has been around where students can go online and find answers.”

In a related action, the board voted unanimously to increase the fee for both summer school and online coursework to $200 per semester, up from the previous rate of $180.

Superintendent Dr. R. Scott Tingley explained that the fee had not been adjusted in several years, while the cost of instruction has risen. He described the summer school program as a “break-even proposition.”

“We haven’t adjusted the cost of summer school for several years,” Tingley said. “We want to be able to offer, if we have smaller classes… still be able to run that.”

Tingley emphasized that the online option is primarily utilized by students seeking to open space in their schedules for music or other electives, rather than replacing the traditional classroom experience.

“Students who want to take an extra class are typically our students who want to open up more in their schedule,” Tingley said.