Franklin board hears plan to phase modest student fee increases; vote set for March 4

District staff presented a proposal on Feb. 18 to adjust several student-related fees and establish a regular review cycle, saying the changes would bring Franklin’s charges closer to comparable districts while avoiding a single large increase.

Mr. Cromie, who led the review, told the Board of Education that the district’s student fees (including athletics, activities and parking) currently account for a little under 1% of the district budget and that the district collects roughly $625,000–$650,000 annually in such fees. He described a two-step approach: modest increases for school year 2026–27 and a second adjustment in 2029–30, with a plan to review fees every five years thereafter.

The presentation relied on comparisons to groups of nearby and demographically similar districts. Cromie said the recommended changes include modest adjustments to per-student athletic and activity fees, a rebanding of grade-level fee groupings (for example, keeping 4K separate and grouping K–5 as an elementary band), and a change to family maximums at the high school to align the cap with participation in multiple activities.

Several board members pressed for more detail about how fees are used and how the district will avoid pricing students out of activities. One member asked how families with economic hardship are handled; Cromie and staff said families who qualify for free or reduced-price meals should have fees waived and that the district works with other families on payment plans for graduations, trips and other items. The presentation also clarified that athletics and activity fees and parking are treated as “privilege fees” (charges for optional, non-academic privileges such as participation in a sport or parking), not as basic student fees.

Board members questioned whether comparing fees to other districts is the best baseline if the stated rationale is cost of consumable materials, and whether a five-year review cycle is frequent enough. Cromie said comparing to peers is a common practice and helps set a reasonable median; he said the two-step schedule was chosen to avoid a single steep jump for families.

The district provided a projected collection estimate tied to current payment rates: using an approximate 92% collection rate today and a conservative estimate near 90% for future collections, the staff estimated incremental revenue changes (presented as examples during the discussion) rather than exact dollar-for-dollar budget offsets. Board members also asked for granular per-fee numbers and per-student impact; Cromie said the detailed fee schedule and calculations will be presented at the March 4 meeting when the board will vote.

The board did not take action Feb. 18. Student fees will return for formal action at the March 4 workshop meeting. The board asked staff to supply clearer per-fee breakdowns, a statement of the family-maximum calculation and confirmation of waiver/payment plan procedures for families in hardship.