Without hesitation, the Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board unanimously approved the athletic participation fee proposal for students at Sedona Red Rock High School at the Thursday, May 15, board meeting.
The athletic participation fee is set to begin in the fall for the 2008-2009 school year.
“I’m very pleased with the outcome. It’s a win-win situation. Not only will it help our athletic programs but it will hopefully increase awareness and participation of our tax credit program to non-athletes,” SOCSD interim Superintendent Nancy Alexander said.
By Brian Bergner Jr.
Larson Newspapers
Without hesitation, the Sedona-Oak Creek School District Governing Board unanimously approved the athletic participation fee proposal for students at Sedona Red Rock High School at the Thursday, May 15, board meeting.
The athletic participation fee is set to begin in the fall for the 2008-2009 school year.
“I’m very pleased with the outcome. It’s a win-win situation. Not only will it help our athletic programs but it will hopefully increase awareness and participation of our tax credit program to non-athletes,” SOCSD interim Superintendent Nancy Alexander said.
The participation fee will be $100 per student, per sport, with a maximum fee of $400 per family, which directly coincides with the tax credit program.
Students will be allowed to try out for the sport without paying the fee, but it must be paid in full come competition time.
Families who pay state income tax will be eligible to get 100 percent of the athletic participation fee back during the upcoming tax season because the money will be processed through the school’s tax credit program.
For example, if parents pays $400 for their student to participate in sports, that money goes into the tax credit program reducing their tax bill by $400. If the parents are eligible for a refund, they will increase their refund by $400.
Families that already participate in the tax credit program will not have to pay additional athletic participation fees.
Site Council Secretary Genna Adams believes participating in the tax credit program by paying for the athletic participation fee means keeping your tax dollars in community schools.
“Most people are already paying state taxes here in Arizona so why not keep it right here in the district while using the tax credit program so that our kids see it directly,” Adams said.
This tax credit program not only pays for these students to participate in sports with the athletic participation fee, but it allows control of where tax dollars go instead of allowing the state to decide.
Families can apply for a full or partial waiver of the fee, depending upon financial need and approval.
Arizona currently ranks last in the nation in its financial support of K-12 education and due to rising expenses, SOCSD is making significant cuts to the athletic budget.
“The athletic participation money will be used to help the district fund athletic programs. This will allow SRRHS to maintain all 13 sports teams,” SRRHS Athletic Director John Parks said.
Questions have been raised as to why the school built a brand new turf football field and all-weather track with the bond money and plan on other improvements over the next few years instead of using it for situations such as these.
Parks said what must be understood is the bond money can only be used for specific school facility improvements.
At the beginning of the school year, the SRRHS Site Council and the District Budget Committee initially discussed the athletic participation fee.
Both committees are made up of parents, staff, administrators and governing board members. After a thorough review and revision process, the SOCSD governing board accepted the proposal.
“It’s unfortunate that Arizona ranks lowest in the nation in funding K-12 education and schools have to find alternative sources to fund programs,” Parks said.
