Bridgewater-Raynham School District Hikes Sports Participation, Activities Fees

Fees to participate in school-sponsored athletics activities will be nearly double as much as they were last year in the Bridgewater-Raynham School District. 

Superintendent Ryan Powers explained that both communities went out for "an override," which failed for both locations.

As a result, parents will now have to spend $600 per sport per child to participate. The family cap has been eliminated, meaning families will spend thousands of dollars for multiple kids who want to play sports.

“This is costing me $3,600,” said School Committee member Laura Conrad-Laberinto, who has two children at Bridgewater-Raynham High School who play multiple sports.

According to a Taunton Daily Gazette report, the district is also increasing fees for high school musical programs, alternative high school, and summer school classes.

Powers explained in an interview with CBS News Boston that middle and high school sports and co-curricular activities cost the district approximately $1 million to administer. That's approximately $900 per student per sport. The $600 fee aims to keep kids participating in sports without pulling more resources from classrooms.

Speaking of classrooms, students who participate in sports aren't the only youth who will be impacted. The changes to the athletic fees are coming along with significant cuts to the district's curriculum.

"We're down about 20 positions at the high school. We're down about 40 electives from the past year. We essentially wiped out our entire business department, really preparing them not just for college and career but some basic life skills about personal finance," Powers said in a statement to CBS News Boston. 

The superintendent stated that recent enrollment has increased by approximately 100 students every year, which means middle school and high school classrooms could see occupancies of up to 35 students per class. 

Parents have expressed concerns that these trends could mean less attention for students from teachers and less time spent engaging in physical activity.