BY DANI TIETZ
dani@mahometnews.com
The Mahomet-Seymour School Board voted 6-1 to increase Mahomet-Seymour High School Summer School fees prior to registration opening in February. Ken Keefe was the only board member to vote no.
The fee increase was implemented to offset additional expenses related to providing two bus routes and an Algebra 1B course over the summer.
“For students that started their freshman year in Algebra IA, this summer offering places students on track for Algebra II their junior year,” the board packet reads. “Students exposed to Algebra II content traditionally score higher on the math portion of the SAT.”
The district expects the 2020 summer school expenses to be:
Drivers Ed. Teacher: $1,200
Speech Teacher: $8,100
PE Teacher: $4,050
Math Teacher: $4,050
Teacher Benefits: $2,400
Bus Drivers: $6,440
Fuel: $2,220
Fees were last raised by $5 in 2013 and 2015, according to Director of Curriculum Nicole Rummel.
To offset those costs, Speech registration was increased from $90 to $150 and Driver’s Ed from $55 to $100 (in-class book portion, not behind the wheel). Summer PE will remain at $150 and Math will be $250.
The fees only apply to courses taken during the summer months.
Rummel said that a large number of students on the Algebra IA and 1B courses “track” are on free and reduced lunch.
“So we need transportation in the summer so students have access to these courses,” she said.
Enrollment fees would be waived for students in the free and reduced lunch program.
The district states that summer school enrollment fees pay for summer school programming in full.
Speech and PE are three-week summer programs, Driver’s Ed. is a four-week course and Math will be a six-week course.
