Fee hikes considered for Kaneland sports, activities

It could cost twice as much to play football or 50 percent more to play chess at Kaneland High School next year.

Tuesday night the school board will discuss the participation fees for the next school year. Part of the proposal addresses the large discrepancy between the actual costs of running extracurricular programs and the revenues brought in by the fees charged.

Currently, high schoolers pay $100 per player per sport, and $40 per participant for clubs.

That doesn't come near covering the costs of the programs, according to a report the district released Friday. For example, it cost the district $356 per player for the chess club this year and an average of $826 per player for sports. Overall, the district anticipates spending $908,776 more than it receives in discretionary fees for middle school and high school activities and daily parking.

A 10 percent across-the-board increase for parking and extracurricular fees for the high school and middle school could result in an extra $18,976.

A mixed bag of increases, ranging from a 100 percent increase for athletics to a 33 percent increase for parking, could raise $154,879.

All scenarios are being considered as the board considers ways to avoid a projected $2.6 million operating funds deficit for fiscal year 2010-11, which starts July 1. It plans to vote on cuts March 8, to give adequate notice to teachers who will lose jobs because of the cuts. The board will vote March 23 on specific teachers to be laid off, because state law requires a 60-day notice for teachers who will be released.

One of the cost-cutting suggestions was to eliminate some clubs, some middle school interscholastic sports, and some money for assistant coaches at the high school level.

The board meets at 7 p.m. in the library at Kaneland High School, Meredith and Keslinger roads, Maple Park.

The report on the fees is available at kaneland.org/d302/about/?sect=61.