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North Attleborough meeting spotlights student parking and activity fees as athletics faces $100,000 shortfall
Summary
Participants at a North Attleborough Public Schools meeting criticized a $180 student parking fee and discussed athletic user fees after staff reported about a $100,000 athletics budget deficit; staff said options and the math will be presented at budget time.
Unidentified Speaker 1 said the district's $180 student parking fee is "absurd," noting it can total about $360 for families with two drivers and risks keeping students from participating in after-school activities. "We're charging some kids to do extra activities," the speaker said, calling the parking charge a "low hanging fruit" the district should eliminate.
Staff and other participants said athletic user fees exist because of budget shortfalls in the athletics program. Unidentified Speaker 2 told the group the athletics budget is roughly $100,000 in deficit and outlined two tiers of options: the base cost to "pay the bills" and a higher figure required if the district stops collecting user fees. Speaker 2 said staff will present a single slide at budget time showing the pros and cons and the exact math for each option.
A second participant, Unidentified Speaker 3, called it "embarrassing" that students must pay to park while the town's municipal lots and downtown parking are free and teachers are not charged. "The kids that are legally obligated to be there have to pay," the speaker said, urging the committee to remove the fee.
Unidentified Speaker 4 asked whether a new busing contract will increase bus rider fees; Speaker 2 said transportation fees are a school-committee-level policy conversation and that they do not currently recommend raising the transportation fee. Speaker 2 also noted that many other Massachusetts communities have athletic fees and framed the next step as a budget-time review of fee options.
Participants did not vote or make a formal motion during the recorded discussion. Staff indicated they will compile fee options and the financial implications for review during the budget process.
