How common are public school "fees"

[minniecarousel]

I work in a public HS making photocopies for the teachers and administration. Guess what? - there is NO budget for paper. I'm not sure where the last shipment came from, but just before it arrived, I couldn't run off anything unless the teacher provided the paper!! How pathetic is that?!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well if you ask for "fees" required no, there are none.

 

[kinlaw6450]

We don't have fees, but we are constntly bombarded with letters from the PTA begging for money. They are very blatant about it too! I figure I pay for field trips, send snacks (for the entire class) and buy school supplies for the classroom as part of the requirements...why give money for the same things???

 

[shortbun]

We pay $15 each year. That covers a field trip with a
bus and supplies like erasers/glue sticks/construction paper.
We take in tissues/hand soap/snaks once a month and
gladly participate in fund raisers. I know what teachers make
and my friends that are teachers often come out of pocket
for supplies. I have no problem underwriting these little
things. Schools around us have a sports fee which is
referred to as "pay to play", only for those who participate.
School lunch is only $1 and our PTA pays for all visits
by resident artists/scientists/lecturers. PTA raises $$$$
by charging people to park in our lot for Ohio State football
games so we have lots of $$$. We have two-3 week
residencies each year by dance/music groups and a great
science and math club. Our chess club funds itself with a
pizza/cinnamon roll sale twice a year. I personally think
that without money coming from parents-a child's education
lacks.

 

[AMClvsMKY]

In Illinois, where we lived, the kids had to be registered each year and the fee on that was around $100/per child. Don't remember having many fundraisers there.

Live in Florida now and they did not require that - no fees, just fundraisers. My DS'S drama teacher is asking for $20 per child and 2 fundraisers per semester tho.

 

[christineann]

Agree 100%, Shortbun. I would add that, unless the parent is unable to do so financially, what's wrong with the parents kicking in a little (in addition to taxes)? Charging parents a fee for a guest speaker's appearance does seem over the line, though.

 

[Krisu]

Never heard of this when DS was in public school. PTA had fundraisers thru the year for trips and special activities. I only remember the kids themselves having 1 fundraiser (magazines). The rest of the money was raised by plant sale and Winter carnival, etc.

 

[Kteacher]

The town next to mine just started charging students 180.00 per year to ride the bus. There is a referendum question in Ma. to do away with the state income tax. If this passes, the situation will only get worse. I pay out of pocket all year long for school related things for my own classroom as well as sending in $$ for my kids, so I'm feeling it on both ends