No Utah student would pay a fee for regular daytime activities sponsored by their schools if a legislative task force has its way.
The task force studying school fees voted on a series of proposals Tuesday as a preliminary to the 1994 session of the Legislature, when the issue will be before the whole body.Sentiment against fees for essential school activities, such as textbook charges, equipment and supplies or labs related to academic studies has been high as discussion of the fee issue has been under way. A State Office of Education committee also has proposed that no fees be charged for the basic education program.
However, the cost of shifting responsibility for those charges from parents to the general taxpaying public remains undertermined.
Darrell White, executive for the State School Boards Association, told the task force a survey of seven school districts indicated that more than $10 million would be at stake, but agreed that the survey might not be inclusive of all possible fees related to the school day.
Defining a "basic program" is expected to be problematic. Educators themselves do not agree on many issues, including the value of music and arts programs and athletics in a student's overall education, he said.
The task force also supported several other proposals that would tighten guidelines for student fund-raisers and allow students to work for waivers.
The group suggested that any interest earned through the pending sale of certain school trust lands to the federal government - a proposal now being considered by Congress - should be used to offset the loss of fee income.
One of the sticky issues being considered by the task force - the question of how to salvage elementary school music programs that now rely on illegal fees - was put on hold. A suggestion by Sen. David Steele, R-Davis, that such programs be relegated to before or after school was not acted on.
Fees now being charged by some districts for elementary school music programs that are part of the school day are unconstitutional because such fees are not allowed in grades K-6 for activities during the regular school day. But the matter needs further study, the group agreed.
The task force also delayed action on a proposal that would discourage out-of-state travel by students, requiring such travel have the approval of the State Board of Education or the Utah High School Activities Association.