Post by title1parent on Mar 31, 2010 7:18:45 GMT -5
www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/2131419,2_1_AU31_BATFEES_S1-100331.article
Batavia eyes tiered fees for school activities
March 31, 2010
By DENISE LINKE For Sun-Times Media
BATAVIA -- Students at Batavia High School and Rotolo Middle School could pay different fees for different after-school activities under a tiered fee structure proposed by a School Board member.
The board recently approved fee changes for paid busing, parking and high school registration, but put off voting on activity fees until officials get more information on program costs.
Paid busing will increase $15, from $380 per year to $395 per year, to cover higher service costs. Parents of students who don't qualify for free busing will have the option of buying bus service for just the second and third quarters -- late October through mid-March -- for $200.
Student parking permits at the high school will cost less next year -- $175, down from $216 -- because the district added 100 new spaces to the student parking lot.
High school students will pay $8.50 per year for use of district-leased databases, and a new $15 activities admission fee will grant them free admission to all games.
Board member Jack Hinterlong said he came up with the tiered fee concept after calculating the cost per participant of every after-school activity offered at the high school and middle school.
"There's a drastic amount of difference between the activities," he said. "Some cost (nearly $500), while the lowest-cost are about $40. Sports like football and basketball cost the district between $15,000 and $80,000 per year, and clubs cost far less."
He proposed charging students half the district's cost per participant for each activity they join. Assistant Superintendent for Finance Kris Monn said the current activity fees cover about 20 percent of the cost.
The board plans to discuss activity fees again at its April 13 meeting.
Batavia eyes tiered fees for school activities
March 31, 2010
By DENISE LINKE For Sun-Times Media
BATAVIA -- Students at Batavia High School and Rotolo Middle School could pay different fees for different after-school activities under a tiered fee structure proposed by a School Board member.
The board recently approved fee changes for paid busing, parking and high school registration, but put off voting on activity fees until officials get more information on program costs.
Paid busing will increase $15, from $380 per year to $395 per year, to cover higher service costs. Parents of students who don't qualify for free busing will have the option of buying bus service for just the second and third quarters -- late October through mid-March -- for $200.
Student parking permits at the high school will cost less next year -- $175, down from $216 -- because the district added 100 new spaces to the student parking lot.
High school students will pay $8.50 per year for use of district-leased databases, and a new $15 activities admission fee will grant them free admission to all games.
Board member Jack Hinterlong said he came up with the tiered fee concept after calculating the cost per participant of every after-school activity offered at the high school and middle school.
"There's a drastic amount of difference between the activities," he said. "Some cost (nearly $500), while the lowest-cost are about $40. Sports like football and basketball cost the district between $15,000 and $80,000 per year, and clubs cost far less."
He proposed charging students half the district's cost per participant for each activity they join. Assistant Superintendent for Finance Kris Monn said the current activity fees cover about 20 percent of the cost.
The board plans to discuss activity fees again at its April 13 meeting.