T/E Considers $50 Student Fees for Next Year
The T/E School Board is facing a 2012-2013 budget deadline in just over two months,
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The T/E School Board is looking everywhere for cash and that could mean a $50 student activity fee in the 2012-2013 school year.
Faced with the need to make up a projected budget shortfall by June, The Tredyffrin-Easttown School Board is looking at student activity fees, class size and demoting some staffers in an effort find the money.
Finding ways to save money, generate income and close a $2million-plus projected budget gap is the focus of the meeting.
The Finance Committee and the full board have been focused on closing the projected gap since the end of 2011. At their March meeting the committee members asked district administrators to report back in April on a possible $50 across the board student activity fee.
Your Chance to Be Heard
The public is invited and encouraged to attend the Finance Committee Meeting Monday night at 7:00 in the School District Administraion office, West Valley Business Center 940 West Valley Road, Suite 1700 in Wayne. Click on the pdf to see the committee's full agenda for Monday night.
The committee will take public comments and tme is running out to let your voice be heard.
Would you support a $50 across the board student activity fee in the T/E School District to help balance the budget for next school year?
Tell us in the comments box at the bottom of this article.
Nate Adams
8:25 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
I used to work in a mostly-affluent community and its school district decided to implement an activity fee.
One of the more common complaints, outside of being upset by the fee's existence, was the idea of a student paying the same amount for a more well-known activity, like football, and for a lesser-know, less occupied activity (mock trial, maybe).
Mary Beth Porter
9:35 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
What does across the board mean? Every student, regardless of whether they or not participate, participate in one activity or in many are charged the same amount? What about club sports like crew which already costs students a lot of money to participate? They get charged this fee also? Doesn't seem quite fair.
Bob Byrne
10:45 am on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Across the board generally means every student. However, this is not anything set in stone at this stage. The full board would need to vote on any final fee. In the mean time it could end up meaning just high school students, middle school students or all grades. Patch will be following this story and we'll keep you posted.
Mark A.
4:36 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
I thought we already paid student fees. They are called property taxes.
Donald B. Cheetham 3rd
9:55 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Not everyone is wealthy, even in this District. I'd hate to see the children of families in an economic squeeze be unable to participate with their friends in school activities. I understand the need to raise money, and would in fact pay more taxes if that were an option - I moved into this area for the good schools. I don't want to see us start stratifying the school experience based on what the parents can afford.
Don Cheetham