Registration Fees - Rant

[arminnie]

That is why I pay over 10K in property taxes.

That's not the case in many states. In California I paid $3300 on a $700,000 condo. In New Orleans $900 on a $350,000 condo. I don't know the value of the Little Rock house but it is quite large and is in one of the oldest most established locations - Taxes run about $2000. I just paid less than $700 on my property taxes for my new condo here.

There is NO money for the schools. They have to charge fees for everything.

I had to buy all of my books after the 6th grade. We were very poor and I often bought used books that were not up to date because that was all we could afford. I could never take music or classes with special fees. One of my uncles used to give us notebooks and pencils. It is really hard on kids to have to go through that.

 

[CowboyCO]

Both of our girls are in middle school this year. We have always had misc costs related to school, but the letter I received today really bothered me. What do you guys think? Are you facing the same stuff?

Middle School Registration Fees Form
Asks for student identifying info, tells me to include a check for all of the fees listed and to not submit this form without payment and that the student will not receive their schedule until it is paid.

$8 Student Planner Required of all students
$7 Student ID/Lanyard Required of all students
$25 Yearbook
$10 7th grade year end party
$7 8th grade year end party
The last three are not mandatory, although it doesn't say that, but it does inform you that prices will go up the later you pay.

$30 Team Fee ($25 last year plus mandatory shirts in the spring, that they wore once, I'm sure the shirts will be extra this year too)
Plus, different fees per class ranging from $3 to $44. Art is $3 a quarter, music is $44 for the year including the mandatory shirt. PE another $25. Language Arts $4, Science $20 and begging for more, History $9 and again asking for more. Followed by a warning that more fees may be required throughout the year. This group of teachers really likes project based education, but supplies are never provided in class and Katie bar the doors if your student needs to print something at school.

This is all in addition to the laundry list of required supplies (including class room ink, copy paper, tissues...) and last year we paid for field trips separately as well.

Bottom line, not including yearbooks and end of year parties, each of my girls will need approximately $125 EACH just to start school. Plus supplies now to start school and the individual project materials throughout the year.

Am I the only one finding this slightly unnecessary?

Thanks for listening. I, of coarse, will be paying it, but I will not be happy writing that $250 check! That's more than my electric/gas bill each month!

Our fees for middle school are $140 with no sports, no activities. Not including school supplies. Plus parents pay a $50 bus fee if they will take the bus to school.

 

[daughtersrus]

I have to pay a $65 registration fee plus a $75 book fee to our local school district for my daughter. I don't have a problem with the registration fee but my DD doesn't use ANY books. She is severely disabled and goes to a "day school" program.

I'm tempted to ask them for her books when I go to our local high school later this week to pay the fees.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

OK there is a HUGE difference between having to pay for marching band, sports, etc. and having to pay 'book rental fees,' just to graduate.

I agree. I don't understand how this works. What if you don't have the money or simply refuse to pay? Do they not let your child get an education?

 

[Bronte]

Yes, for us books/reg. fees are usually $250 to $500 for most high school students then you add on other things like drama, band, sports, drivers ed..
The duel credit collage classes that DD took last year were expensive but are actually required for an honors diploma.
I am just glad I do not have a boy in football at our public high school ... my girl friend said it cost 1,000 to sign her son up for the team
The town over from us charges $850 for marching band and if you do not pay they send you to collections ... Our marching band is only 250 per kid and if you can not pay the booster organization finds ways for the student to "work" off the fees.

 

[mrsklamc]

I agree. I don't understand how this works. What if you don't have the money or simply refuse to pay? Do they not let your child get an education?

I have a friend whose parents kicked her out for being pregnant in HS. She worked two jobs while in HS and still hadn't been able to come up with the money by the end of the year. A woman who worked in the guidance office ended paying her fees for her, out of her own pocket, cause she knew how hard she had worked.- $300.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I have a friend whose parents kicked her out for being pregnant in HS. She worked two jobs while in HS and still hadn't been able to come up with the money by the end of the year. A woman who worked in the guidance office ended paying her fees for her, out of her own pocket, cause she knew how hard she had worked.- $300.

How do they get away with this? Every child is entitled to a right and proper education. Isn't it illegal?

 

[superme80]

I have to pay a $65 registration fee plus a $75 book fee to our local school district for my daughter. I don't have a problem with the registration fee but my DD doesn't use ANY books. She is severely disabled and goes to a "day school" program.

I'm tempted to ask them for her books when I go to our local high school later this week to pay the fees.

That actually sickens me.

 

[MoniqueU]

Well I am feeling better about what we pay sort of. My oldest DS 17 being a senior the registration cap and gown were an extra 200 and the yearbook will be 100. His football fees when WAY down, no spirit pack this year so just 58 for their insurance and 100 transport fee. We buy all our own books, supplies etc but I just get what I know works for my kids and the things I deem necessary. There is no way I am buying 3 one inch binders when my kids do better with one binder and diviers. He had to buy a planner I think it was 8 bucks.
.
My oldest DD says her fees including pe stuff, ID and yearbook are 60. My youngest DD will need the full set of pe clothes plus the other stuff so hers might be higher?

I am not stressing about sending in a huge jumbo box of tissues. I pay a considerable amount in taxes as everyone in our state does and the state and districts waste it and cry for more. Might not be a popular attitude but it is mine. For instance they have to tell half the kids that want in to spanish class tough luck because they don't have another spanis teacher for a second class . But some technolgy bill got passed and so now there are 3 computer labs, one for a deidicated laptop class, one for afterschool primetime group (extra help)and the last one is for students doing typing for a class to wrtie papers and also I guess another one in the library so 4.It might be needed but couldn't the afterschhool program use one of the other labs? We are also rocking plasma tv's and dance dance revolution machines in the common areas and n gym. Can't get another teacher but wasting money on that stuff um NO,

I have friends that are teachers and have been to their homes they make a good living don't work a full year or a 40 hour work week inost cases. I know they pay some supply fees for the classes so I get a target card for chrstmas.

 

[buzz5985]

Kids in Indiana pay hundreds for 'book rental fees.' I STILL don't understand how they get away with it. I have told friends I would demand to have the book list and I'll buy them myself for $300. They say that's not allowed.When we question why there's not money for books but there are for stupid fancy electronic signs they say they are different budget categories by law. I have one idea to cut the budget- they could cut the length of the school year which starts tomorrow!

I really hope to move by the time we have school aged kids but if we don't we will likely home school.

I can attest to that. Part of my DS IEP was a second set of books for the house. Now that he is in MS - I was told it's too expensive, how much did you pay for the books etc., I was shown invoices - over $1000 for the books for his classes. I bought them all on half.com for $94.50.

You wonder why the school systems are going broke????

 

[Mandychelle79]

I live in PA and I am always shocked when I read about the school fees some states/districts charge for regular classes. NONE of the districts around here or where I grew up charge fees. We have great art classes, music classes, science labs, etc. and do not pay fees, nor are we asked to buy anything.

We do get a list of suggested supplies in the summer: folders, notebooks, pencils, pens and for older kids, a calculator. None of it is mandatory though, teachers loan calculators and the schools supply students with supplies if necessary (so I've been told anyway).

Some things we do pay for: yearbooks, music lessons (not the lesson itself, but the rental of the flute, sax, or whatever you are playing), class parties at the end of the year (usually $10-$15), dances (around $10). In high school, the French club will go to Paris, the Italian club will go to Rome, etc. and of course, parents will pay for that if they want their kids to attend, but it's not mandatory.

We do not pay anything for sports except for cleats and if you play lacrosse or field hockey, a stick.

I think some of the fees people in other states are insane!

I should add that my sons are going into 6th and 8th and my daughter is still in elementary school. For elem school we don't even get a list of suggested supplies-they provide everything.

from Pa here also and agree. We do have some fundraisers through the year to help the PTO, but other than those we pay nothing for our child, except what we pay in taxes. We bought dd bookbag and lunch bag. thats it.

 

[htmom]

lol my son must go to the only pa school that charges fees. They just started last year. Maybe we should move.....

 

[daughtersrus]

So what happens to the kids that can't afford it? Sports is an extra curricular so that's excusable. If a kids parents can't pay a lab fee, do you kick him out of the science class? If every one stop paying the fee, your high school is still lawfully required to provide Science classes aren't they?

I'm sorry, I don't pay fees and I'll fully wear the pain in the #@$ tee shirt. This is a public school system, extra curricular stuff no problem but my school district will provide my kid with a full education "free of charge" like they are supposed to. That is why I pay over 10K in property taxes.

Nowadays, I'm not even talking disadvantage kids. Middle income parents are strapped to the brink. Unemployment is 10%. I do write and call my legislator but schools will also have to start budgeting.

Tissue, hand sanitizer. no problem . heck I'll even throw in pencils and markers for my sons classes but I draw the line at fees. Where does it end. When it adds up to $500 a kid? That's how I got to this point. first it was $75.00 bucks, then 100, then 150. I finally said not another dime when my son was a freshmen and it hit 200 bucks. I've got 3 kids. This year, I haven't heard but rumor is that it will be around $225. Not gonna happen. If I'm going to spend 500 bucks for my son, I'll scrap up the money and send him to private school.

Our taxes are high here as well but yet we still get hit with these fees. The letter says that if the fees are not paid, the child will not be able to graduate. Not really sure what that means~ will he/she not be able to participate in the ceremony or if they really won't get their diploma.

For those that qualify for the free lunch program, their fees are waived. If they qualify for the reduced lunch program, their fees are reduced.

As I said in a previous post, my DD is severely disabled so she will never "graduate" but yet they still want me to pay $65 for registration and a $75 fee for books when she doesn't use any. Of course, this is on top of the $4,000+ I pay to our local school district via property taxes.

I can attest to that. Part of my DS IEP was a second set of books for the house. Now that he is in MS - I was told it's too expensive, how much did you pay for the books etc., I was shown invoices - over $1000 for the books for his classes. I bought them all on half.com for $94.50.

You wonder why the school systems are going broke????

If it's in his IEP that they provide a second set of books, there's no excuse not to. The IEP is a legally binding contract and the school district my abide by it. They are not allowed to use money as an excuse not to provide a service or accomodation that the student needs no matter how much it's going to cost them. I threat of filing for Due Process would probably get the second set of books to you quickly.

 

[daughtersrus]

When you buy cars from a dealership sometimes they dont give you a full yr. Mine lasted only 6 months. You should pay though ASAP. The sticker will show that its expired & you could get a ticket :/

 

[apnep]

I haven't had a raise in 5 years, and my school lost 5 teachers last year, so how about paying the school fees??

Personally, and I mean no disrespect, but I think it ridiculous that you exclude the children who parents didn't pay by just giving them a paper assignment. That is B.S. It is a PUBLIC school. Last time I checked ALL the students should be offered the same education. So ONE or TWO students are left out of the assignment because they couldn't pay? What kind of message does that send to the kid? Why can't you come up with an assignment that doesn't cost an arm and a leg that everyong can participate in? I just don't get that. That's just wrong.

 

[mrsklamc]

Studies have shown that student success does NOT depend on amounts of money spent per child. I'm no expert but here are problems I see:

Our high school did not have a pool. Swimming was a competitive sport- in the summer, at the public pool. I think it's silly for schools to support these kinds of expenses.

The textbook industry. Books are WAY overpriced and perfectly good books are updated for no reason other than lining textbook companies pockets.(in some districts; in others, no new books at all.)

Length of school year is too long (I am well aware the number of days is mandated by the legislature, but for crying out loud, they are kids. They have to grow up fast enough.)

Some administrators make way too much money while the actual teachers don't get paid enough. The pompous buffoon who runs Indianapolis Public Schools has a base salary of $175,000 with possible bonuses of $15,000. I don't know what he SHOULD get paid, but I know the graduation rate for IPS is less than 60%, and no where else would you make that kind of salary with less than 60% success at what you do.

 

[Shleedogg]

I teach high school. Our school has to charge these fees to keep the programs running. If you want your child to have labs in science, you have to pay the lab fee or the teacher cannot buy the supplies. The school board buget makes no provision for buying them. If you want your child to have music to play in music class, you have to pay the fee so the teacher can buy sheet music. Agian, there are no funds allocated for this. Sports fees- If you want the school to be able to pay its insurance bills to keep the sport running you have to pay the fee. We got no money for classroom supplies this year. I bought markers for the board, red pens, pemcils for the kids to borrow, loose leaf, sanitizer,tissues, and towels to get started. I am asking the kids to bring in more sanitizer, a box of pencils, a box of tissue, or a roll of towels. If they don't I don't know that I can keep us supplied all year. This is the sad truth of what buget cuts at the highest levels have done to public education. When i was in school we didn't pay these ffes because there was money in the buget to take care of thosethings. There just isn't any more, and it isn't the schools fault. Talk to you legislator. They are the ones cutting the school's buget to the point that we are forced to charge parents to make up the difference.

I just had to chime in. That is bogus re: sheet music. Every year does your music teacher throw out the music from previous years? They don't NEED to buy new music. In our schools and in the schools of my music teacher friends, there are hundreds of different songs, each with the accompanying 30 + copies.

To OP, I feel for you! We're not there yet, but I am so dreading it and will be the first to question all the fees. Some are definitely unnecessary imho. How terrible to have to fork up that much money!

 

[Shleedogg]

Some administrators make way too much money while the actual teachers don't get paid enough. The pompous buffoon who runs Indianapolis Public Schools has a base salary of $175,000 with possible bonuses of $15,000. I don't know what he SHOULD get paid, but I know the graduation rate for IPS is less than 60%, and no where else would you make that kind of salary with less than 60% success at what you do.

Yes! Here is a list of the highest paid employees in my county. Starting teachers salaries are around 30k. They are cutting teaching jobs, cutting funding, yet some of these administrators earn enough to cover multiple teachers with a pay cut.

 

[mrsklamc]

Yes! Here is a list of the highest paid employees in my county. Starting teachers salaries are around 30k. They are cutting teaching jobs, cutting funding, yet some of these administrators earn enough to cover multiple teachers with a pay cut.

Great example! The fire chief is on there for example. If 40% of the houses that caught fire in your area burned completely to the ground, would he still have a job? Nope.

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

I have finally read thru all 6 pages...and gosh, I am amazed at some of the fees you guys pay.

Granted...mine are still in grade school (one starting 4th, the other in a special ed pre K). But my fourth grader will pay a $25 school fee (field trips are separate, but not that bad), and I don't know yet about my preschooler (his class is still part of the school system). And our supply list came out to less than $25 for all his supplies.

We have an awesome PTA that does two fundraisers during the year to cover some of the 'extras'...like money for teacher supplies at the beginning of the year and scholarships for those kids that can't afford some things.

I'm sure middle school will be more expensive...but I can imagine $100+ fees for elementary school. Good grief!