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Parents press Caldwell‑West leaders to clarify field‑trip funding and event ticketing
Summary
A parent sought clarification at the March 24 board meeting about which budget lines pay for field trips and why some school events charge admission while others do not; district leaders said transportation cost increases were factored into the 2025–26 budget and offered to follow up individually.
At the March 24 Caldwell‑West Board of Education meeting, parent and Music and More Booster Club treasurer Liz Hart asked the board to explain which budget lines fund field trips and why ticketing and pricing practices vary across school events.
Hart asked whether field trips draw from district transportation budgets or school‑level funds and questioned why some events charge admission while others do not. "Which budget line items does the field trips allocated from?" she asked.
Principal Brian Ayers and Superintendent Dr. Conklin answered that it depends on the trip: larger, district‑wide trips are often paid from district transportation or specific program budgets; smaller, school‑level trips can come from school budgets; and booster groups or the Home and School Association sometimes supplement costs. Dr. Conklin told Hart the district is "factoring in a 10 to 20% increase in transportation costs" for the 2025–26 budget and that officials review field trips with cost in mind and sometimes propose lower‑cost alternatives.
Hart also raised concerns about ticket pricing for musical productions and fundraisers, noting that ticket revenue is recorded as district revenue. Dr. Conklin said most ticket receipts are recorded in the district budget and used for student activities rather than being disbursed directly to booster clubs; he also said booster clubs commonly make donations to offset costs. At the meeting a board member noted the Music and More Booster Club had donated more than $500 to offset transportation costs for a recent trip and that other booster clubs make larger donations to support equipment and activities.
Dr. Conklin offered to meet with Hart to walk through the different cases in detail. Board members encouraged parents to contact building principals or guidance counselors if transportation costs make participation difficult; the district said funds exist to support families in need for trips, dances and other student activities.
