Schools charging kids (Denver: buy, public schools, taxes)

[VALGAL222]

150.00 for the PTO, mandatory? How can they do that? Is it because you are out of district?

[formercalifornian]

If it's like our CCSD elementary, the fee isn't exactly mandatory. It's a pledge, which the majority of parents make, because the funds support the paraprofessional staff and other programs. If you can't pay because of financial hardship, the PTO isn't going to shake you down for it. A benefit to the pledge campaign is that our elementary school families aren't burdened with selling gift wrap, candy, etc. during the first few weeks of school. As someone who absolutely despises those type of fundraisers and always just wrote a check directly to the PTO, I think it's a great alternative.

[purselady]

It says on the flier that we received that the PTO fee is mandatory, but that they will accept payments from parents who cannot pay the entire amount up front. I like the idea of avoiding having the kids sell 'junk', but you cannot help but feel sorry for those who may be less fortunate financially.

[Moonwalkr]

I don't think we've ever had any mandatory PTO fees. Our voluntary fundraisers net enough (well into 5 figures for a school of 500) to purchase a lot of extra stuff for our classrooms and library. The meeting for doling out the money is well attended as it's like Christmas for the classes.

[VALGAL222]

well in that case, I think it is a much better way to fundraise. I hate that all these companies make so much money and parents volunteer so much time on kids peddling what amounts to junk. Even if it is nicer stuff, the ROI for the school is shoddy.

I would hope that the payment plan offer would be to catch that middle group-- "can't afford it up front, but can afford it over time." I would hope that those who truly could not afford it, period, would not be forced to.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by purselady

I moved to Douglas County 5 years ago, and was told that our school district was excellent. Things have really slipped since then, and I decided to open enroll my kids in the Cherry Creek district (which I will be able to do until they are in middle school). I am amazed at the number of things that parents are expected to pay for. $150 per child for the PTO (mandatory), $76 for supplies for my 2nd grader (including things like Kleenex...really the school district can't afford Kleenex?), the one field trip they went on was $15, and there have been numerous fundraisers throughout the school year. My family can afford these things, but I am concerned about other families that may not be able to. It makes you wonder if public school will be fee based at some point in the future (it sounds crazy, but the notion of paying for class supplies and school bus' would have been crazy 30 years ago when I was in elementary school).

20 years ago, when my oldest was in kindergarten, we had to provide our own Kleenex, copy paper, and other supplies that I thought were a bit much. 13 years ago, when my youngest was in her last year in ele, our school had a very agressive PTO that was constantly having fundraisers. I really balked when they had the 5th graders hawking crap at the annual talent show. That said, I don't have a good solution. I would like to see fundraisers focused more on reading marathons, stuff like that, instead of making parents buy overpriced useless junk. As the kids get older, I like the idea of carwashes and other service projects.

[ebeth79]

I never heard of anyone being provided any school supplies until I moved here and had the option of paying $ (less than it would cost me to actually purchase everything on the list @ Wal-Mart or Target) to buy an "edukit". My parents had three kids, birthdays ranging from 1966 - 1979. We always had to buy our own supplies, lunches,pay for our field trips, etc. In fact, in high school we had to pay if we wanted a "private" locker (i.e. one we didn't share with someone else). We went to public schools in the south.

As for the PTO finance charge? I hadn't heard of that in a public school.... at my kids' previous school (private institution) we had to pay $200 or volunteer 20 hours to the school. You logged all your hours in to the school office, if at the end of the year you didn't get a full 20 hours, then they prorated the fee and you paid the balance or your kid(s) report cards weren't released until you did.Was a good way to make sure there was parental involvement in almost every aspect of the school.

[sskkc]

My friend's kids went to school in Temecula, California - 7 years. She had to pay a "bus fee" when they were in junior high and high school.

Just another sign of the 'californization' of Colorado.

I never heard of anyone being provided any school supplies until I moved here and had the option of paying $ (less than it would cost me to actually purchase everything on the list @ Wal-Mart or Target) to buy an "edukit".

My kids have gone to school in three states in the past 5 years - New Mexico, Colorado and now Texas. I have friends in Illinois, Missouri, California, Arizona, Florida and Montana with children in the public school systems... all 9 of them have an option where you can buy the supplies through the school, and all of them offer the kits free to students who qualify for the free lunch program (just got the flyer from the school last week, asking parents to reserve their kit now). The kits are never complete and are full of low quality generics.

Oh... and I attended public schools during the 70s and 80s in a very affluent neighborhood... but each year, Kleenex was on the supply list... and now there are paper plates, paper towels, Ziploc bags... and the teachers are always asking for more because several people who can afford SUVs, Starbucks, cigarettes and concert tickets cannot "afford" to send in their child's share. Classroom 'community' supplies **** me off... If you can afford cigarettes, then you CAN afford a box of Kleenex for your child's classroom. I am so tired of hearing about what people 'can't afford'.

[LisaCACO]

I went to school in the 60s and 70s. once I left segregated schools, i ended up with a free bus, and all the school supplies were free, plus we had school trips free. actually it was all paid by the community including the school families because they knew that paying for schools was an investment in the future.

[Huckleberry3911948]

good thing to teach kids. everything is not free.