Board reviews athletics costs and weighs higher or tiered participation fees

The East Brunswick Board of Education reviewed a detailed per‑sport cost breakdown on March 24 showing that the district’s flat $125 participation fee covers only a small portion of actual expenses.

Presenter Joe gave the accounting: "Currently, it's $1.25," he said (referring to $125); the presenter and board members explained that sports incur both direct costs (coaches, supplies, officials) and fixed costs (transportation, trainers) that are divided among athletes. The district estimated athletics total costs near $1.1 million and said parents currently pay about 10–15 percent of per‑athlete cost on average.

Board debate focused on fairness and feasibility: some members urged preserving programs and protecting students who benefit from extracurriculars; others questioned whether long‑established parent‑paid activities (dance, ice hockey) should move to district support. Suggestions included a tiered fee structure, family maximums, or an activity fee that spreads cost more evenly across students rather than sport‑by‑sport charges.

Legal and administrative constraints were noted: staff pointed out practical challenges in implementing a percentage‑of‑cost model and warned that verification and administrative burden could offset revenue gains. The presenter said the district has seen a wide per‑athlete range (some sports approaching $2,200 per athlete while others are under $500), and that other neighboring districts use flat fees, family caps or activity fees.

The board indicated all options are on the table as it works to close the budget gap; no fee changes were adopted at the meeting.