With public school budgets pinched and educational demands rising, "business as usual" is becoming less and less tenable in American schools. Taxpayers, parents, teachers, principals, and students are expected to do more with fewer resources. But what's the best way to go about slimming down and shaping up the system of public education?…

This article talks about the "Pay-to-play" issue in some districts. State constitutions across the nation include guarantees of "free public education." Simply put, that means that school programs may not charge fees for participation. In this article, the authors examine the issue on whether extracurricular activities are integral parts of the…

Extracurricular activities, particularly sports, have a long-standing tradition in public schools. However, the cost of running extracurricular programs has risen steeply. In many districts, state and local funding is shrinking, and extracurricular activities are often the first items to be put on the chopping block. In this article, the authors…

Discusses issues in school "pay-to-play" policies, the charging of fees for sports or other extracurricular activities, as a fund-raising strategy in response to budget shortfalls. Fees sometimes discourage economically disadvantaged students from participating and place pressure on parents. (LMI)

Describes how many school districts are dealing with the problem of funding high school athletics and extracurricular activities in times of declining state and local budget revenues. Solutions involve program cuts, "pay for play" fees, fund raisers, and tax referenda. (PKP)

Hundreds of school districts nationwide are looking toward user fees to sustain programs inadequately funded by state income and property taxes. A recent survey found that 34 states now permit the assessment of fees against students. User fees raise equity and legality issues, limit student participation, and can be used to garner public support…