School District May Add $300 Activity Fee
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FRISCO (CBSDFW.COM) – You have to look hard on the list of possible budget cuts that the Frisco Independent School District is considering to notice it. Now, a proposed activity fee is sticking out like a sore thumb to parents.
That's because the district has proposed an $300 annual fee for each extracurricular activity a student participates in, whether it be fine arts or sports.
"About $1,200 just for him, not including my high school student and my daughter that's coming up right behind him," says Marie Bernadini, whose son Ethan plays middle school football and is also in the marching band.
His older brother Jacob is in theater and their younger sister Isabel plans to follow him.
Their parents moved to Frisco so they pursue their passions.
"That's why I moved Frisco to have smaller schools, to have all the opportunities, I wanted a 4-A school so my kid play football and basketball." says Bernadini.
Frisco ISD says the $300 annual fee would be for each activity a student participates in but tells us in a statement. "It is too soon to say if a fee will be implemented. The idea may gain traction as a means of generating additional revenue for the District or it may be eliminated."
Marie Bernadini would be digging deep into her pocketbook if Frisco ISD follows through with a budget cutting idea to charge students $300 for extracurricular activities.
"My kids do sports and fine arts. How much money is that going to cost a parent if your kid is really active? She says her kids would have to cut back if the fee is implemented next year.
There also questions about the burden activity fees have on lower income families.
The Frisco ISD continues to look for ways to cut $30 million from the budget and assured parents that students will be last to feel the impact.
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