The Crowley ISD Board of Trustees approved the district’s 2025–26 schedule of student fees, fines and charges on Aug. 27 after trustees pulled the item for discussion and asked staff about cheerleading uniform costs and fine-arts investments.
Trustee Dr. Robinson asked the board to consider cheer costs and a potential “legacy uniform” to reduce annual increases. The district’s executive director of finance, Kelly Lawton, responded that the district treated program uniforms as a multi-phase effort and that it had supported initial competition needs from fine-arts budgets. “The first year, though ... the fine arts budget did support that UIL contest,” Lawton said, describing the district’s early investments in choreographers, transportation and tumbling lessons.
On ongoing fees, Lawton said administrators plan to “keep the fees at 1,800” for the current review while working to reduce costs for families. She told trustees that some varsity squads currently maintain multiple uniform sets (three on varsity) and that the district is considering program uniforms on a four-year rotation, shared uniforms across grade levels and sponsorships to lower out-of-pocket costs. “I think I have identified maybe like a $400 cost savings for next year,” Lawton said.
Lawton also said the district has invested in fine-arts programs across campuses, noting new formal attire for honor choir, new choir uniforms for middle and high schools, and planned new high-school band designs. Trustees and staff described enrollment growth in music and band programs and said the district is working to outfit growing ensembles.
After discussion, Trustee Dr. Robinson moved to approve the student fees, fines and charges as presented; Trustee Jean W. Davis seconded and the motion passed by a show of hands.
The board did not alter the fee schedule at the meeting but directed staff to continue exploring program-uniform options, sponsorships and a multi-year rotation to reduce family costs.