Pay to Participate Eliminated

The Poland Board of Education voted to eliminate Pay to Participate for student athletes and band members at Monday’s Board of Education meeting. 

Pay to Participate (PTP) was implemented as one of numerous measures to reduce expenditures when the district was facing significant financial issues in 2012. When it was implemented, there was a $200 charge per sport for student athletes. Student band members also paid a fee to participate. Two years after implementing PTP, the Board of Education reduced the amount by 50 percent.  

The amount of money collected from PTP fees changes annually based on student participation at Poland Middle School and Poland Seminary High School. Recent collections at both schools is around $65,000. Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, PTP will no longer be in effect for students in the Poland Local School District. 

Other initiatives that were eliminated in 2012 as cost saving measures have also been reinstated. Those initiatives include elementary specials, which range from music, physical education, art, as well as elementary school counseling. The Poland School District continues to make every effort to be good stewards of taxpayer money, while providing the best services to  students and families. The Poland Schools appreciates the families that participated in the PTP program these last few years.