District 300 hikes fees

Fees will increase next year for most students attending Community Unit District 300.

The District 300 school board on Monday voted to increase school registration fees by $10 for the 2009-10 school year - despite strong opposition from some board members.

The increase in registration fees will pay for a reduction in some music and athletic fees and allow the district to waive all fees for students who receive reduced-price lunches.

Supporters of the fee increase acknowledged the financial difficulties some parents are facing, but said the district also has to be fiscally responsible.

"A lot of thought was put into trying to help families in tough economic times and still keep the district afloat," board member Mary Warren said.

Other board members said they simply could not support any fee increase during a recession.

"I cannot support raising fees in this economy," said board president Joe Stevens. "A lot of people in this room are affected by unemployment, and $10 may be two meals."

Warren joined board members Anne Miller, John Ryan and Chris Stanton in supporting the increase; Stevens and board members Monica Clark and Karen Roeckner voted against it.

The increase in registration fees will generate an additional $30,385 in revenue, according to district estimates.

Next year is the first year the district can raise student fees without breaking district officials' 2006 promise to freeze fee hikes for three years.

The district's new fee schedule caps annual athletic fees at $300 per student and $600 per family and eliminates elementary and middle school music fees, assignment book fees and fourth-grade recorder fees.