Orange High School Band Boosters ask board to reinstate annual transportation subsidy

Summary

Tracy Lloyd, president of the Orange High School Band Boosters, told the board that marching band is a graded course with 56 students and asked the district to reinstate a pre‑2020 annual transportation subsidy for activity buses so students can attend required events without passing the full cost to families.

During the public comment period Tracy Lloyd, president of the Orange High School Band Boosters, urged the board to reinstate an annual transportation subsidy that Orange County Schools previously provided for marching band travel.

"While marching band is often considered an extracurricular activity, these students are enrolled in a graded academic course… This year's band currently has 56 members," Lloyd said. She described the boosters’ fundraising contributions for uniforms, instruments and insurance and said that after the district stopped the subsidy the boosters have shouldered all transportation costs, stretching volunteer resources and limiting program quality.

Lloyd asked the board to “strongly consider supporting them in this very tangible and fundamental way” so students can fully participate in required rehearsals and competitions without placing the entire burden on families. The board acknowledged the comment and invited district staff to follow up; no vote on subsidy policy was taken at the meeting.