Board eyes school fees to offset losses

by PAUL MORTON

Associate editor

The cost of a free public education in Oberlin could be going up in order to make up for lost income tax collections and anticipated reductions in state funding.

At their meeting on Tuesday, June 23, the school board discussed the possibility of implementing school fees to offset funding reductions, at least partially. Superintendent Geoff Andrews said Oberlin is one of only two school districts in the county that does not charge school fees.

"Lorain doesn't have them," Andrews said. "But they have 80 percent free and reduced school lunch, at least according to (superintendent) Cheryl Adkinson."

School treasurer Diane Wolfe said when she meets with other school treasurers, they often discuss how they collect the fees rather than whether the fees should be collected. Wolfe said the other treasurers are incredulous when she says Oberlin does not now charge fees.

"They just consider that unheard-of," Wolfe said. "It's just such a common practice across the state."

She said school systems typically charge fees for workbooks and other consumables used by students in the classroom. Andrews said a survey of other Lorain County districts revealed a wide variety of fee structures.

The Elyria schools, for example, charge fees of between $32 and $45 for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, depending on the grade, and course fees for high school students. The Midview schools charge a general fee of $55 for all students, course fees for high school students and activity fees for middle and high school students, ranging from $550 to $85, depending on the activity.

The Keystone schools charge for student activities and sports, and charge a field trip transportation fee of $2.10 per mile. The school district also caps the fees a family must pay at $1,200.

"We're not considering pay-to-play," Wolfe said. "That wouldn't make sense here."

The board did not discuss specific fees for Oberlin students, largely because the amount of the expected funding cuts is not yet known. School funding is included in the biennial budget currently being debated in the state legislature, so Wolfe had no firm estimate of state cuts.

"I can't even guess because I'm hearing so many different things," Wolfe said. "I'm hearing they're not going to touch the foundation, because that's our primary funding source. What I don't know about is the poverty-based assistance fund, because we have such a high poverty rate here."

She said the Oberlin schools receive $500,000 per year from the poverty-based assistance fund. The schools use that money to pay for all-day kindergarten.

She said she has also heard rumors of changes in how open enrollment is handled. Currently when a student enters another district through open enrollment, the per-student funding from the state follows that student.

Wolfe said the schools are also suffering as a result of the economic downturn. In November 2007, voters approved a 0.75-percent income tax for the schools, and the school board allowed two property tax levies to expire in an attempt to make school funding more progressive.

Wolfe said the current recession has impacted income tax collections more than property tax collections.

"Our income tax collections actually went up a little bit, but that's because our rate changed," Wolfe said. "Remember I said it would take a good 18 months for the income tax collections to really show up. So this year we're getting about $94,000 less than anticipated."

Board members were divided in their acceptance of student fees. Stephanie Jones said she would rather not charge fees, but understood the need in the current economy; Ian Yarber said he opposes them.

"I don't like it for a number of reasons," Yarber said. "We have so many kids on free and reduced lunch. And some of the ones that don't qualify are struggling as it is. Then we're going to add fees on top of that. I just don't like it."

Board members said any fee structure would have to include a waiver option for families who could not afford the fees. Wolfe said most school districts that have waivers use the same criteria used for free and reduced lunches.

In other action to improve school revenue, the board voted to increase the price of breakfast, from $1 to $1.25, and the cost of milk from 35 to 40 cents. Andrews said the prices had not been increased since 2000.