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High school principal reviews $100 parking fee and $100 activity fee; district compares Berks County peers
Summary
High school principal Jared Sparks and activity director Nick Palladino presented a county comparison showing Boyertown charges $100 per student for parking and $100 per student for activity fees (with a $300 family cap); the committee discussed capacity and equity exemptions for free/reduced lunch households.
Jared Sparks, the high school principal, told the finance committee the district has charged $100 per student for a parking pass since the 2017–18 school year, the first full year after construction of the high school parking area. Sparks said the campus has roughly 350 main‑campus student spaces and about 26 additional spaces at the education center; the district sold about 400 passes last year by intentionally overselling to match changing student schedules.
Sparks said the parking fee produced about $40,000 in revenue last year and staff anticipate selling about 415 passes this year for roughly $41,500. "We have been charging a fee of $100 per pass," he said, and staff estimated the county average fee among responding districts is about $15.31, noting five county districts reported charging no fee.
Mr. Nick Palladino, who oversaw the activity fee review, told the board the activity fee covers athletics, music programs, show choir, the spring musical and marching band. He said the current activity fee is $100 per student with a $300 family cap; families receiving free or reduced‑price lunch are exempt. Palladino reported that in 2024–25 the district assigned the activity fee to a little over 1,200 students and collected about $92,000 for the general fund. "Any student who qualifies for free or reduced lunch is exempt," Palladino said.
The committee reviewed comparative data collected from Berks County high‑school principals. Several districts charge lower fees or none at all; a few use tiered systems that charge more for high‑school athletics and less for middle school activities. Sparks said the district would need an additional 30–50 parking spaces to meet consistent demand across the year. Board members noted the district’s shrinking industrial tax base could affect overall revenue but agreed parking and activity fees are separate revenue streams that fund general fund needs.
No change to current 2025–26 fees was proposed at the meeting; staff said any change would be considered as part of the 2026–27 budget process.
