VIERA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -
The Brevard County School Board's decision to cut $30 million from its budget will bring some major changes to the school system. Part of the savings will come in the form of charging parents for their children to play sports, a decision that's not popular with everyone.
Parents of Brevard County student athletes now have an extra hurdle to navigate in their family budget. The first sport will cost a family $100 in "participation fees," the second sport would be an extra $50, and there is no charge for a third sport.
The fees would also apply to middle school sports, but at half the cost, so it would be $75 your child plays two sports. Parents say sports participation is already expensive with equipment and other costs and these extra fees will hurt.
Free and reduced
price lunch students will pay the reduced fee of $25 for sport 1, $12.50 for
sport 2 (high schools), and $20 for sport 1, $10 for sport 2 (middle schools).
Those numbers could still change if the district receives additional money from Tallahassee. The school board is projecting the pay to play plan will result in savings of just over $419,000.
