District to charge fee to athletes

[KFDM COOP]

District to charge fee to athletes

By Joel Luna

The Facts

Published June 17, 2008

Whether it’s a team or individual sport, participating Brazosport ISD students will have to pay a new athletic fee starting this fall.

“The financial crunch of the district, the trend across the state of Texas to charge activity fees instead of dropping programs because of all financial problems across the state, and to offset rising cost of insurance,†BISD Athletics Director Jesse Crow said of the reason for adopting the fee.

The fee will be a one-time charge of $30 for any student at Brazoswood or Brazosport high schools as well as Lake Jackson Intermediate, Clute Intermediate or Freeport Intermediate students involved in athletics.

“We are mainly using the funds to continue to keep the insurance,†Crow said. “We don’t want to call it an insurance fee because we don’t want to confuse parents who might say, ‘Well I paid the insurance fee, why isn’t the insurance covering all of my children’s injuries?’ But it’s not an insurance fee, it is an activity fee and it is going to be required for all the extracurricular activities.â€

There is a discount for those unable to cover the $30 cost. Students classified as economically disadvantaged will have to pay $20.

“The good thing about the way we are doing it, is that some school districts charge you by the sport or activity,†Crow said. “Ours is not. It is by the child, so once they pay they are paid for any activity that child is involved in for that year. It could be in multiple sports or band, could be choir.

The district also has capped the fees at $100 per family no matter how many children they have involved in school activities. The fees will be non-refundable.

With $48,000 allocated for athletics, cutting sports programs is not something Crow is prepared to do.

“We looked at different options, and one was dropping the insurance and that was $91,000 last year,†Crow said. “We could have done that, but about 35 percent of our kids qualify for CHIP and probably 50 percent would have their own insurance, but there are always deductibles on those. The ones that scared me were those 15 percent that may not have any insurance, and all of a sudden if one girl goes down with an ACL, that is $16,000. That scared me.â€

At Brazoswood High School, athletes participate in football, basketball, tennis, wrestling, soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, water polo, cross country, swimming, golf, powerlifting and track and field.

“A lot of other places are doing it (charging fees), but hopefully we can keep it in a range where it is affordable,†Brazoswood coach Dean De Atley said.

Brazosport High School offers the same sports except for water polo and wrestling.

“I don’t like asking kids for money, but sometimes it is a necessary thing that we have to do,†Brazosport coach Brian Welch said.

[Hotrodg]

Unfortunate.  Also likely to be seen elsewhere more and more.

[Tiger90]

It was just a matter of time.  Cheerleaders and drill teams have had to pay for years.  Problem I see is once you start having money directly and visibly leaving parent hands you'll get more of those vocal "stand coaches" trying to become more involved.

[stangchain]

I just find this appalling!  Schools are a BUSINESS!  They have budgets and reports just like other businesses.  If you can't get your budget correct, then fire the person who is in charge of it and get someone who can run it correctly.  You KNOW what your expenditures are from the get-go and what your tax base is.  How can you mismanage the money so much that you end up having to charge the athletes to participate when you didn't have to charge them before? 

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay.  They'll either drop out of school or move on down the road. 

[Guest etbu]

I just find this appalling!  Schools are a BUSINESS!  They have budgets and reports just like other businesses.  If you can't get your budget correct, then fire the person who is in charge of it and get someone who can run it correctly.  You KNOW what your expenditures are from the get-go and what your tax base is.  How can you mismanage the money so much that you end up having to charge the athletes to participate when you didn't have to charge them before? 

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay.  They'll either drop out of school or move on down the road. 

Well said and where will it ever stop?

[Guest ECBucFan]

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay. 

Betcha' ever last one of them has a cell phone...

[tvc184]

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay. 

Betcha' ever last one of them has a cell phone...

No kidding. They all probably pay $50 or more a month to text each other.

While I don't think it is a great idea, it is one that is probably coming to a school near you. Schools are not a business per se. They do not sell a product and it is their job to educate, not let kids have fun in their favorite sport(s). Schools can drop extracurricular activities without any problems.

[Bucof2010]

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay. 

Not true....sorry to be blunt but come on if somone can't afford it I'm sure thered be a line of public leaders to help them out.

[DP#1FAN]

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay. 

Betcha' ever last one of them has a cell phone...

Great point!

[Bucster]

I don't have a problem with it. As a previous poster stated, school is a business. For any business to be successful, revenue must exceed expenditures. Schools are no different. To increase revenue, you can either increase taxes or levy charges to the customer, in this case is the athletes that benefit from the athletic program.

Pay to play.

[Hotrodg]

I'd rather see fees than programs canceled.  There are those that argue all money spent on sports and other extracurricular activities should be redirected to academics.  (I am not one of them.)

Just wait until any student riding a bus is asked to pay a "Fuel Fee".

[td]

I just find this appalling!  Schools are a BUSINESS!  They have budgets and reports just like other businesses.  If you can't get your budget correct, then fire the person who is in charge of it and get someone who can run it correctly.  You KNOW what your expenditures are from the get-go and what your tax base is.  How can you mismanage the money so much that you end up having to charge the athletes to participate when you didn't have to charge them before? 

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay.  They'll either drop out of school or move on down the road. 

The drill team and cheerleaders have to pay around $750 or maybe more. Then they have to do fund raisers on top of that. I think they are trying to cut some of the cost but I'm not sure how that is going.

[glove4x]

I just find this appalling!  Schools are a BUSINESS!  They have budgets and reports just like other businesses.  If you can't get your budget correct, then fire the person who is in charge of it and get someone who can run it correctly.  You KNOW what your expenditures are from the get-go and what your tax base is.  How can you mismanage the money so much that you end up having to charge the athletes to participate when you didn't have to charge them before? 

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay.  They'll either drop out of school or move on down the road. 

The drill team and cheerleaders have to pay around $750 or maybe more. Then they have to do fund raisers on top of that. I think they are trying to cut some of the cost but I'm not sure how that is going.

Each softball player in BC this year had to pay $202.00 each.    The fee was for helmet, bat bag, practice shirts, etc. 

[td]

I just find this appalling!  Schools are a BUSINESS!  They have budgets and reports just like other businesses.  If you can't get your budget correct, then fire the person who is in charge of it and get someone who can run it correctly.  You KNOW what your expenditures are from the get-go and what your tax base is.  How can you mismanage the money so much that you end up having to charge the athletes to participate when you didn't have to charge them before? 

If that happens at WOS, there won't be any athletic teams because most of the kids can't AFFORD to pay.  They'll either drop out of school or move on down the road. 

The drill team and cheerleaders have to pay around $750 or maybe more. Then they have to do fund raisers on top of that. I think they are trying to cut some of the cost but I'm not sure how that is going.

Each softball player in BC this year had to pay $202.00 each.    The fee was for helmet, bat bag, practice shirts, etc. 

If they keep all of that then I think it's fair. If they don't then they shouldn't have to pay. I heard the cheerleaders in BC pay $2000 per year and don't keep the uniforms. Is that true?

[Campee]

I just find this appalling!  Schools are a BUSINESS! 

Education is the business of schools.  If it was run like a business, then the unprofitable divisions would be eliminated, ie.  sports.  No building new stadiums, no uniforms, no bus travel.  Maybe cut out the free lunches and use that money for sports.

[stangchain]

When teachers are worried that their school district might not be able to make payroll, then the district dang well better be run like a business!!!!  It IS a business and needs intelligent people running it or it will go down in flames.....

[Guest etbu]

Give us the vouchers and let us send our where we wish to. If we pay taxes why should kids have to pay? Public school system has way to much pork barrel spending. Every principal in Huffman has a secretary? Hello???????????? Why can a private school educate a kid for a third of what it cost a public skewl?

[BBFAN07]

The reason private schools can do that is because they do not have to worry about NCLB and other Federal and state unfunded mandates.  They do not have to provide free and reduced breakfast and lunch or bussing.  They also do not have to create discipline programs for kids that do not know how to act.  The last time I looked at a private school they charged for tuition and if you caused a problem, they kicked you out.  I wish we could do that in public education.  It would save a whole lot of money.  Imagine a school where you only have to teach kids that want to be there!!

We all hate to see schools going to fees for various extracurricular activities, but the sad reality is that taxes are not paying for it all anymore.  Teachers and administrators need higher pay and better benefits and the cost of curriculum materials and supplies are going up.  We all want quality teachers for our kids, but quality teachers cost money.  We can find teachers that will come for a low salary, but are those the ones that you really want teaching our kids.  I personally would prefer to pay better and get higher quality teachers.

Just my opinion.

[stang4life]

Ignorance...every where I tell you.  Some of these posts are so...don't even have a word for it.  Trust me when I tell you that there are quite a few kids who DON'T have cell phones and who COULDN'T afford to pay a fee.  Heck, if they could, they'd probably be in some batting class or pitching lesson somewhere.

The comment about the costs of various programs such as free/reduced lunches, busing, etc....love the subtlety.  There are as many kids who benefit from these programs who contribute as much as the kid in the next district with a cell phone in elementary, wearing Abercrombie, and receiving brand new cars on their 16th birthdays.  Sure you have some who don't necessarily want to be in school because unfortunately they may not have that stable household who emphasizes the importance of an education, but blame can be placed on more than just that kid.

In the wise words of Gandhi...if you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem. 

Step outside of Lilly-white and maybe attempt to make the world a better place.

[BBFAN07]

Let me clarify my statements before I start a have and have not war on here. 

I am all for those programs (free reduced lunch, bussing, etc.), but the topic was school spending.  I see numerous students benefiting from these programs and I am glad they are in place.  WE NEED THESE PROGRAMS!!  I was only trying to distinquish spending in a private school to spending in a public school.  I am not knocking anyone.  And yes, some of these students are exceptional students and are active members of the school's student body!!

Sorry if I confused anyone!

[Guest ECBucFan]

... I tell you that there are quite a few kids who DON'T have cell phones and who COULDN'T afford to pay a fee. 

Step outside of Lilly-white and maybe attempt to make the world a better place.

I don't know what that last little comment is supposed to mean, but as far as the first one, well, you need to open your eyes and see reality. The "poor" have as much "stuff" as the kids of those who work for a living, and maybe even more. I see the "poor" driving around in cars with $1000 spinner wheels, talking on cell phones, texting, eating expensive fast food, and wearing $150 shoes. Don't even try to say this doesn't happen, alot.   

[stangchain]

I don't know how it is at East Chambers, but there are kids at WOS that are POOR and don't have ANYTHING...cell phone, pagers, or otherwise.    THAT is what the jest of the conversation is about...the kids who DON'T have it. 

[Bucof2010]

I don't know how it is at East Chambers, but there are kids at WOS that are POOR and don't have ANYTHING...cell phone, pagers, or otherwise.    THAT is what the jest of the conversation is about...the kids who DON'T have it. 

Are you confusing wos with pam? Come on its not like WOS is poorville or somthin.

[stang4life]

... I tell you that there are quite a few kids who DON'T have cell phones and who COULDN'T afford to pay a fee. 

Step outside of Lilly-white and maybe attempt to make the world a better place.

I don't know what that last little comment is supposed to mean, but as far as the first one, well, you need to open your eyes and see reality. The "poor" have as much "stuff" as the kids of those who work for a living, and maybe even more. I see the "poor" driving around in cars with $1000 spinner wheels, talking on cell phones, texting, eating expensive fast food, and wearing $150 shoes. Don't even try to say this doesn't happen, alot.   

As I stated, ignorance still abounds.  First of all, my eyes are open and trust me when I tell you that I see reality as well as live reality.  I could accept your statement if you simply added that SOME of the POOR have this and that, but it's pretty befuddling when you say ALL/THE POOR.  Sadly, most of these poor children have parents who work for a living just like the next person.  They may not make as much money, but many work.  That doesn't mean that they spend it the stuff that you mention above.  I can see a parallel though...those who spend what they really don't have (the poor) are about even with many who spend what they don't have ("those who work for a living")...seems that both are just trying to keep up with the next person. 

You should really not just STEREOTYPE ALL POOR PEOPLE because many work just as hard as you do.  I can say from personal experience that we might even have an edge on you because we sometimes provide what you might not to our children.

[stang4life]

I don't know how it is at East Chambers, but there are kids at WOS that are POOR and don't have ANYTHING...cell phone, pagers, or otherwise.    THAT is what the jest of the conversation is about...the kids who DON'T have it. 

Are you confusing wos with pam? Come on its not like WOS is poorville or somthin.

You really shouldn't speak of what you know nothing (or not much) about, mr.buc