Utah schools are charging students excessive and unreasonable dues to participate in sports and extracurricular clubs, and in many cases, are ignoring fee waivers for low-income students, according to a scathing state audit.
The new report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor General, released Tuesday, looked at middle and high school programs in 20 districts across the state, including seven charters. In one school, it cost $2,500 to be a member of the cheerleading squad. In another, students paid $2,795 to participate in show choir.
Ultimately, the auditors concluded, the State Board of Education and local districts have created barriers for involvement by levying these fees that can disadvantage students with less money.