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Cabarrus County Schools Consider Pay-For-Play Fee

http://66.225.205.104/LM20110330.mp3

Hundreds of CMS parents are trying to raise money to keep middle schools sports. This year the program is paid for by a $50 surcharge for middle-school athletes and $100 for high-schoolers. Now Cabarrus County is considering something similar. The Cabarrus County School board is trying to figure out how to close a $6 million budget gap next year. One school board member has suggested recovering some of that money through pay-for-play fees. In other words, kids who want to be part of a school team and can afford it must pay something. School board member Lynn Shue says he feels like part of the burden needs to be borne by the parents of athletes. He says "whether it would be in a fuel surcharge or whether it would be in an insurance type surcharge or something like that." The Cabarrus County School board has asked the district to look into how such a fee would work and how much it would generate. One thought is that any one who is on free-and-reduced lunch wouldn't have to pay. The challenge is figuring out how many athletes fit that category. Stanly County Schools is also considering a similar fee.