Extracurricular fees in schools can be an issue for many families, preventing students from joining programs that allow them to pursue activities they’re passionate about.
In many cases, flexibility has been vital for local districts to help students who may have trouble meeting the financial obligations that come with extracurricular participation.
“My mom just got a new job,” said freshman Mary Lee Morris, a member of the winter guard at Anderson High School. “She emailed (the band director) asking if we could do a payment plan, and they were very open with it. They are flexible with what your situation is.”
Although legislation passed by the Indiana General Assembly last year addresses costs related to textbook fees and other curricular necessities, guidance from the Indiana Department of Education on what other fees schools can charge has been vague, according to advocates.
Locally, districts have acted on a variety of ideas to mitigate those costs for students.
Like many schools, ACS has programs such as band and choir where students may have to pay for certain costs, including equipment rental. Efforts are made to offset those costs, officials said, through fundraising events, product sales, raffles and other channels, including social media.
“In the past, Anderson High School students had to fundraise to cover graduation expenses,” said Superintendent Joe Cronk. “Today, ACS absorbs this cost as part of our efforts to minimize student costs, ensuring students and families are not responsible for covering these expenses.”
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.