OKEECHOBEE — In accordance with changes made on May 22 to Section 1006.15, Florida Statutes, as a result of Senate Bill 538, school districts may assess an activity fee for students enrolled in private schools to participate in athletics programs. This fee can be up to, but not exceed, $400.

At the regular meeting of the Okeechobee County School Board on Tuesday, June 16, the board voted on the policy, and it was passed with a 3-2 vote. Many parents have been wondering what the fees will be used for.

Okeechobee County Schools released a statement on Friday, Oct. 16, to explain:

“The purpose of these fees is simple: District students should not have to absorb the athletic costs of students whose education funding goes elsewhere.

"The district receives funding based in part on the number of students enrolled in our schools. That money supports classroom instruction and other school expenses, including athletics. Private school students receiving a Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) have separate funding for their education. The district does not receive those scholarship dollars when they participate on our athletic teams.

"Athletics involve significant expenses, including coaching salaries, transportation, and equipment. Teams raise money to help, but fundraising does not cover every expense. The district pays the remaining costs using funds that also support our students’ education.

"Consider a simplified example: a team has ten athletes, including six district students and four private school students receiving FES scholarships. After fundraising, the team has $3,000 in expenses left to cover.

"If that cost is shared equally, each athlete’s portion is $300. The district covers its six students’ share through district funding, totaling $1,800. Participation fees cover the remaining $1,200 for the four private school students. Eligible athletic expenses can be paid with scholarship funds under the program’s rules.

"Without those fees, the district must cover the entire $3,000. Spread across the six district athletes, that is effectively $500 per student instead of $300. The additional $1,200 comes from money that could otherwise support district students’ classroom needs, while the private school students’ education funding is unaffected by the athletic expense.

"Florida law allows public schools to assess reasonable participation fees within established limits. These fees help ensure that the cost of serving private school athletes is shared fairly. Private schools can also choose to cover their students’ fees using tuition revenue, just as the district uses its funding to support its own students.

"Our responsibility is to preserve athletic opportunities while protecting the resources available for district students’ education. Therefore, any funds raised will be given to the team to help offset one of their largest expenses: The cost of bus transportation for out-of-town athletic events.”