SMASD superintendent wary of participation fees

June 18, 2012

Citing budget cuts and continuing economic downturn, a greater number of public school districts in further tightening the purse strings have turned to the option of charging participation fees for student involvement in athletic and other extracurricular activities.
A joint study conducted by the Pennsylvania School Board Association (PSBA) and Pennsylvania State Athletic Directors Association (PSADA) identifies nearly 30 percent of public school districts in the Commonwealth as charging participation fees ranging from $10 to $250 for both athletic and non-athletic activities, with the statewide average being $65 per activity.
That number is up from the 13 percent of Pa. public school districts charging participation fees in 2010, with fees ranging from $5 and $50.