Dist. 54 reluctantly increases fees
Schaumburg Township Elementary District 54 board members passed a series of fee increases with equal parts regret and obligation at their meeting Thursday night.
Increases to milk, transportation and facility usage — including before- and after-school child care — fees were approved.
“There’s no way around these increases ... all of these increases,” board member Barb Hengels lamented.The cost of milk will increase in the next school year from its current 10 cents per carton to 20 cents per carton. Parents will pay about $36 a year per student for milk. Students eligible for the federal free and reduced lunch program will continue to be exempt from the fee.
Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Mohsin Dada said even with the increase, District 54 students would still pay less for milk than students in many surrounding districts, some of which charge as much as 60 cents per carton.
Parents with students who don#146;t receive free bus service will also be paying more, but not until 2013. The annual transportation fee will increase from $475 to $500 for one child; from $600 to $650 for two children; and from $700 to $800 for three or more children.
School of choice transportation fees also will increase in the 2011-12 school year, from $100 to $150 for one child; from $125 to $200 for two; and from $150 to $250 for three or more. The fees would then increase through 2016 at a rate of $50 per year for one child; $75 per year for two children; and $100 per year for three or more children, Dada said.
Fees for before- and after-school programs will increase from 50 to 55 cents per student for morning programs and 50 to 65 cents per student in the afternoon program.
Also, weekday gym and classroom rental fees will increase from $8.00 an hour for youth programs to $10 an hour; and adult programs from $12 an hour to $15 an hour. Weekend or holiday gym rental fees greatly increased, from $50 for all-day youth programs to $25 an hour for those programs and from a $60 all-day rate to $35 an hour for adult programs. Classroom rental fees for weekends or holidays also increased by $5.
Dada told school board members Thursday that the increases will not make money for the district, only reduce what the district already is paying for the services.
Noting the recent increase in state taxes, officials were hesitant to add any more fees for the district#146;s residents, especially those who may not have school-aged children.
#147;We have to recoup these dollars somewhere. We have to make sure we#146;re prudent with these (tax) dollars so these people can continue to stay in our communities,#148; board member Melissa Hutchison said.