And I’m not just talking about your rising property taxes.
Governor Patrick may have spared schools from the latest round of budget cuts, but that doesn’t mean the school district is going to have an easy time making ends meet. And one strategy they intend to use is passing along some of the rising expense to you.
From kindergarten tuition to school lunches to activity fees, the cost of public school is on the rise. Here’s a summary of increases in Southborough.
Trottier activity fee
Middle school students will pay $25 each year for activities like music, sports, and academic clubs if the proposed budget for FY2010 goes through. All students will pay regardless of whether they participate in the activities, although Superintended Gobron said provisions will be made for families who cannot afford the fee. The activity fee is expected to raise $10,000. Read more about the proposed activity fee in the Metrowest Daily News.
School lunches
Starting next week, student lunches will increase from $2 to $2.50 and deli lunches, where available, will increase from $2.25 to $2.75. The school lunch program is self-funding, and according to the district, the increases are needed to offset the increasing cost of food, materials, and labor.
Kindergarten tuition
Superintendent Charles Gobron announced last fall that the price of full-day kindergarten will increase from $2,000 per year to $2,500, an increase of 25%. Half-day kindergarten will continue to be offered at no cost. Kindergarten tuition was last increased in 2002.
So, what do you think? Are the increases reasonable considering the economic times? Is passing along some of the cost to parents a good way to fund important programs? Or should the district be looking at deeper cuts elsewhere in the budget? Share your thoughts in the comments.
