Jordan School Board approves 2025–26 student fee schedule over objections about activity pass and equipment costs

The Jordan School District Board of Education voted 6–1 April 22 to approve the district's proposed student fee schedule for the 2025'26 school year after more than two hours of public comment and board discussion.

Board members debated fees for athletics and arts admission, an optional $50 activity pass for home UHSAA events, and the cost of team gear such as cleats and branded clothing. The measure passed after a motion by Board Member Bryce Dunford and a second by Board Member Suzanne Wood.

Board members repeatedly emphasized that including a fee on the schedule does not require schools to charge it. "To put it on the fee schedule doesn't mean we're going to charge it. It means we can charge it," told the board during the study session. Several principals, administrators and board members said the fees were proposed because registration revenue that previously covered many school activities had been reduced by recent law changes.

Board Member Daryl Robinson recorded the lone vote against the schedule. Robinson said he could not support a provision that would allow schools to charge students to attend home events: "I just can't vote for it. There's no way I'm gonna ever allow that to happen in a vote for me." He urged the board to find other ways to backfill lost registration revenue so that students would not be charged for attending activities.

Other board members said they were comfortable approving the schedule now while directing further work. "I'm open to discussing adjustments that we'd like to see in the future," said Board Member Bryce Dunford during the meeting. Multiple members asked administration to study options including: (1) a district-funded alternative to an activity pass; (2) a transparent, itemized accounting of how registration and extracurricular funds are spent at each school; (3) an anonymous complaint process for parents who feel fees are excessive; and (4) clearer disclosure of potential travel costs for overnight extracurricular trips.

Administrators noted the board has until July 1 to finalize the fee schedule and suggested the board could postpone final approval until then if it wanted more time to gather information. The board chose instead to approve the schedule at the April meeting and requested staff return with follow-up work including an internal audit recommendation and options for covering lost registration revenue.

Votes at a glance

- Student fee schedule for 2025'26: Motion to approve by Bryce Dunford; seconded by Suzanne Wood. Outcome: approved, 6 yes (Nikki George, Lisa Dean, Suzanne Wood, Erin Barrow, Brian Barnett, Bryce Dunford), 1 no (Daryl Robinson). Note: approval permits but does not obligate schools to charge all listed fees.

Context and next steps

Board members asked administration to (a) prepare a proposed anonymous complaint pathway for parents, (b) analyze whether transportation and travel costs should be listed on fee schedules as clear ranges, and (c) scope an internal audit or accounting review of school-level activity accounts before the start of next school year. Administrators said they would return with options for the board to consider before July 1.

Why it matters

The decision affects how extracurricular activities, arts performances and athletics are funded and who pays for them: individual participants or the community at large. Several parents and district staff told the board that fees can create participation barriers and that clearer oversight is needed so money collected at schools is used to support students as intended.