'Pay to Participate' Fees Discussed at Town Hall Meeting

A plan for the YMCA to take over middle school sports programs is one option the Board of Education is considering to reinstate the programs on a limited basis. The YMCA proposal was one of three Superintendent Dr. Brad Draeger presented at a Town Hall meeting on Thursday night to discuss ways to continue middle school sports and GT (gifted and talented) programs, both of which were eliminated in the budget that voters approved in April.

"Public education is suffering across the nation," said Draeger to the large number of parents and students who came to the meeting, which was held in the auditorium of the high school. "I still think Livingston is in a fortunate situation."

Following the cuts, the board has been working to develop plans to reinstate the programs by implementing fees.  At Thursday's meeting, Draeger explained what options have been researched.  According to Draeger's presentation (click here for a copy) the board has three choices to consider for the sports programs:

• The board can continue with what was decided by voters—that is, the Heritage Middle School sports program will be eliminated and in its replacement an enhanced intramural program will be put in place.  Livingston will pay roughly $57,000 for the intramural program. 
• The district can run an "in-house" fee-based interscholastic sports program. The program would be similar to the current program, but students would have to "pay to participate."  Also, it would be three days a week—not five, as is the case now (this is a two-day-a-week or 40 percent reduction in the current schedule).  The reduction in days is a way to bring the cost down to approximately $329 per student (per each sport).
• Outsourcing the program, similar to what some other districts such as Basking Ridge currently do.  The board sent out RFPs and received a proposal by the West Essex YMCA to run the program. The YMCA has presented three options: a five-day-a-week competitive program ($338 per student, per sport, based on 532 participants), a three-day-a-week combination of games and practice program ($248 per student) and a two day intramural-like program that would supplement the three-day program ($112 per student).  The YMCA would manage the entire program, including hiring coaches, but the program would operate at Heritage Middle School. Also, with either the five or three day options, teams would compete as they currently do against other schools.

Helen Flores, Executive Director of the West Essex YMCA, was at the meeting to present the YMCA's proposal.

"These are hard times for everybody and  I sympathize with what you're going through," said Flores, noting that the YMCA submitted a proposal to the district out of a sense of obligation to the town. "We are a community organization and we really have a responsibility to the kids." 

If the board chooses to have the YMCA run the program, there are several advantages, as both she and Dr. Draeger pointed out.  First, the YMCA already has experience running a program for the district; for the past twenty years it has provided after-school care to students.  

Also, the YMCA already has sports programs—and knows how to hire certified coaches, for example, which it will do if selected to operate the program—as well as has a system in place for collecting fees.  Perhaps most importantly, both Draeger and Flores cited, the YMCA has extensive experience in fundraising and in providing scholarships.  It was stressed repeatedly at Thursday's meeting that there will be financial assistance for those students in the district who cannot afford to pay the fee.

If selected, the YMCA would use Livingston fields and buses for transportation, for example, but it's possibile that middle school students could use the YMCA's swimming pool.

When some parents asked Draeger if he thought having an outside organization run the program might not make it feel like a "school" team, Draeger responded.

"It's still going to be the Heritage Eagles," he said.  Draeger also pointed out that the board has already started to schedule games for next year, however the situation turns out.

The same will, of course, be true if the option for an "in-house" program is chosen, but Draeger pointed out that the YMCA's program is more affordable, primarily because they are able to reduce labor costs more than the district. The district has worked out an agreement with the LEA (a reduction from five days to three days of coaching), Draeger said, but the YMCA's program still is less. 

Other concerns were raised, too, including some about fees in general.

"It seems like we are moving away from everyone contributing," said Dan Katzeff, who has two children in the district, referencing some earlier conversations among board members about perhaps instituting a universal activity fee. "Okay more for sports, less for clubs, but have it so that every parent contributes," he said.

Draeger conceded that the board needs to further examine fees—and noted that this is an issue that needs close scrutiny for the future—but that the board is not ready to make this decision. "We don't feel we can rush," said Draeger, adding that with the strict time constraints in deciding the budget—and the short time following—that's not an option at this point.

As for the GT program, the board believes it can maintain it with a fee of about $150 per participant for each activity.  Currently, the program is taught by district teachers who receive payment for their services to the program through their salaries. The district has tried to make it a stipend position to perhaps lower the cost, but the LEA has not agreed to this, Draeger indicated. More details need to be worked out, Draeger said.

"Our mission is to make this self-sustaining. If only 3 or 4 students sign-up for it, it won't be financially viable," said Draeger about the GT programs.

But he is still planning for it to continue, if the fee is approved. 

"We are a little behind. We usually do identification in June," said Draeger. "We'd do that in September, start instruction in late September or October," he continued.

The board will vote on the both the sports and GT programs—and what options to go with—at Monday's meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the high school.