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Board approves new TASK activity fees and handbook updates; summer fee set at $95
Summary
The board approved changes to the district's TASK (after-school/summer care) handbook and established an activity fee structure: $95 for summer and $90 for the school year, with no increase to weekly tuition rates. Staff will research whether the fee can be covered by state reimbursement programs.
The Tea Area School District Board approved revisions to the TASK program handbook and a new activity-fee approach for extracurricular outings and events.
Under the change, the board set the summer TASK activity fee at $95 and the school-year activity fee at $90 and decided not to increase the weekly tuition rate. The motion passed unanimously.
Staff described the change as a targeted response to a budget shortfall tied to field-trip and activity costs. Staff estimated the activity fee would save families about $60 per year compared with raising weekly rates to cover the same costs. The board and staff discussed implementation details including whether the fee is mandatory, options for installments, prorating for mid-session enrollments, and possible accommodations for low-income families.
TASK program staff recommended due dates and installment options during discussion: the first installment due with registration or by May 1 and a second installment for summer due by June 1, with the possibility of billing in multiple invoices through the existing invoicing system. Staff also recommended marking the fee nonrefundable in the handbook language; the board discussed removing certain pool-visit language for clarity.
Board members asked staff to research whether an activity fee would be eligible for state reimbursement for families on public assistance; staff said they would return with that information.
Why it matters: the change alters how parents are charged for field trips and program activities and is intended to stabilize the TASK program budget without raising weekly tuition. Board members said the district aims to balance affordability and program sustainability.
Provenance: the TASK handbook and activity fee discussion and votes occurred during the new business agenda and budget-handbook review portion of the meeting (see transcript excerpts).
