Pay-to-Play: Fair or Foul?

Abstract

Confronted with rising costs and shrinking funding, districts have come up with the idea of charging students to participate in extracurricular activities. According to Ms. Hoff and Mr. Mitchell, there are much better ways for schools to make their programs affordable. 230 PHI DELTA KAPPAN Photo: Liquid Library I MAGINE the exhilaration as high school students throughout the country suit up for their first practice, polish their instruments, and prepare for their upcoming games and events with high-fives all around. This excitement, however, is quickly replaced with anxiety, even dismay, as many of these same students learn that they must first pay a participation fee, which may mean they will not be able to take part after all. "Pay-to-play" is catching on across the country-sometimes with harsh consequences for students and schools. No one doubts that the cost of running a school district is staggering. Fuel for heat and buses, salaries and benefits for employees, and ever-changing curricular demands combine to put enormous pressure on superintendents and school boards to cut spending and raise revenues. In many districts, state and local funding is shrinking, and extracurricular activities are often the first items to be put on the chopping block. 1 Extracurricular activities, particularly sports, have a longstanding tradition in public schools. School teams were originally seen as a means of giving boys a way to channel their energy in a positive direction while giving the entire

Social competence, social support, and academic achievement in minority, low-income, urban elementary school children.

“…In general, children who attend school in low-income areas consistently show the lowest academic achievement and the poorest development of social skills (Haggerty et al, 1994; Hoff & Mitchell, 2006; NCES, 2002; Pogrow, 2006; Reynolds, 1999). An examination of nationwide reading scores in 2002 revealed that fourth graders in central city schools performed lower than their peers who attended urban fringe/ large town and rural/ small town schools.…”

Parental participation fees in school expenses in Israel

“…Moreover, in today's reality, with public school budgets pinched and educational demands rising, in the absence of fees these activities will have to be canceled (e.g. Hoff and Mitchell, 2006;Reeves, 2006). Farkas and Duffett (2012) interviewed a representative sample of adults concerning various cost-cutting measures that district leaders are considering due to the current harsh economic situation.…”