Marshfield families with students participating in multiple school sports will pay higher athletic fees this year after the School Committee approved a new fee structure aimed at addressing budget shortfalls following the defeat of the town's override.
At its Nov. 3 meeting, the committee voted to charge students $300 for their first sport and an additional $300 for their second sport, while keeping participation in a third sport free. The annual family cap will increase from $600 to $900. The changes take effect for the remainder of the 2026-27 school year, with winter sports registration approaching.
The decision marks the first change to Marshfield's athletic fee structure since 2018. Previously, families paid $300 per student for the entire school year, regardless of how many sports that student played, subject to a $600 family maximum.
Beginning with winter sports, students will pay $300 to participate, whether it is their first or second sport of the school year. Students who have already paid for two sports will not be charged for a third, and families will not pay more than $900 annually. Students who participated only in a fall sport and do not play another sport will not owe additional fees.
Officials estimated that the new fees could generate approximately $94,800 in additional revenue, although Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Tom Miller cautioned that the actual amount would likely be lower because of the $900 family cap.
Interim Athletic Director Lauren Jones and Miller presented the changes as part of a broader effort to stabilize the district's athletics finances.
Miller said the athletic revolving account, which covers expenses not funded through the district's operating budget, is projected to have a $12,000 shortfall this fiscal year, down from a $94,000 gap last year. However, much of that improvement resulted from shifting approximately $92,000 in expenses for officials and police details into the district's operating budget.
The district also eliminated the assistant athletic director position and replaced a 20-hour clerical position with a 30-hour operations assistant position. Together, those administrative changes produced approximately $80,000 in savings for fiscal 2027.
The athletics operating budget is approximately $860,000, while revolving account expenses total about $230,000. Those expenses include facility rentals, equipment, uniforms and other costs associated with running school sports.
Miller said the additional revenue could help cover current expenses and potentially establish reserves for future costs. He noted that the athletic revolving account has carried no year-end balance forward for the past seven years.
"We've had a…relatively small balance that would roll over for unforeseen expenditures or larger expenditures that do pop up. But we've been carrying over zero in our revolving count every year for the last seven years," Miller said.
The district's athletic subcommittee had previously considered increasing fees to $400 for a first sport and $200 for a second sport, but postponed changes while awaiting the outcome of the town's override vote.
Following the override's defeat, officials revisited the options and recommended keeping the first-sport fee at $300 while adding a second-sport charge.
Miller said the district's overall financial situation made the additional revenue particularly important.
"In light of our budget situation, not only our athletic budget, but our entire school budget, which includes athletics, we're in a really, really desperate straits and an additional close to $100,000 will go a long way for this fiscal year," Miller said.
Jones also reported improvements in fee collection after the district switched from UniPay to My School Bucks, integrating payments more closely with athletic registration.
The district collected $108,900 in fall athletic fees this year, compared with $62,100 during the same period last year, a reported 79% increase. Jones said the previous system sometimes allowed students to register without completing payment, leaving staff to pursue outstanding fees.
Jones presented a comparison showing that several Patriot League schools already charge more than Marshfield.
Duxbury charges $300 per sport with a $1,500 family cap, while Hingham charges $425 for a first sport and $200 for a second, with additional hockey fees. Hanover charges $725 for a first sport, with additional charges for subsequent sports.
Scituate, by contrast, does not currently charge athletic participation fees, relying primarily on fundraising, according to Jones. Committee members expressed interest in learning more about how Scituate finances its programs.
Despite the increase, officials emphasized maintaining opportunities for students to participate in multiple sports.
"We really see a lot of participation in two sports. I feel like when I first started 14 years ago, it was very common for three sport athletes and now we're seeing primarily two sports," Jones said. "So by not charging for that third sport, we're still trying to encourage participation because you already paid your fee, come out and do something else, try something new."
Committee members also confirmed that fee waivers remain available for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and families with financial need.
The district is continuing to study whether certain sports should carry additional fees based on their operating costs. Jones said sports requiring expensive equipment or outside facility rentals, including football and some winter sports, are among those being examined. No sport-specific surcharges were approved at the Nov. 3 meeting. Any additional charges would not take effect until the 2027-28 school year. Officials expect to review more detailed cost information during the winter and spring.
The committee approved the new $300 second-sport fee, free third-sport participation and $900 family cap without any recorded opposition.