Unable to charge fees, schools brace for shift in extracurricular programs
By Megan O'Neil/Los Angeles Times
Local education officials this week said they are bracing for a dramatic shift in how extracurricular activities are funded, the result of a lawsuit settlement that bars schools and their affiliates from charging students fees for such programs as sports teams, musical ensembles and cheer squads. California education officials in December settled a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union against dozens of campuses, including John Burroughs High in Burbank, alleging that charging students for educational materials and activities violates a constitutional mandate that public school districts provide free and equitable education to all students. The Legislature is now considering a law to impose penalties on districts where fees have been charged illegally. (more...)