Athletics Fees Hit Hays ISD Families | Austin News

Hays Consolidated ISD is hitting parents with new athletics fees to plug a $12 million budget gap — and it’s sparking outrage. High schoolers could pay up to $315 for three sports, middle schoolers up to $175, with costs stacking high when kids play multiple sports. Families say total expenses now easily exceed $1,000 — forcing some kids to drop sports. But officials stress these fees are meant to save programs, not kill them — especially junior varsity teams. They’ve created sliding scales: students on free/reduced lunch pay as little as $18 for three middle school sports. The district urges struggling families to talk to coaches and apply for aid — because sports aren’t just fun; they’re pathways to opportunity. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e759a9fbea8bfb8e