The Cumberland County Schools Board of Education approved updated student fees for the 2026-27 school year during its June 9 regular board meeting, authorizing several increases affecting student organizations, graduation-related costs, and extracurricular activities across the district.
The annual fee review includes modest increases for student organizations such as Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), along with a new fee for Esports participation and higher costs for middle school band programs. District leaders said the majority of existing fees charged to families will remain unchanged.
During the board’s May 28 work session, Associate Superintendent Jane Fields said the district is required under North Carolina law and local board policy to periodically review all student fees across schools.
Fields said the district began the process by asking principals in April to review existing fees and gather school-level feedback before finalizing recommendations, which were brought before the board for consideration.
While several costs are increasing, district officials said the vast majority charged across elementary, middle, and high schools will remain unchanged next school year.
Existing Fees Remaining The Same
- Elementary school yearbooks—$35
- High school parking permits—$50
- Senior dues—$90
- Prom tickets—$85
- High school yearbooks—$85
- Marching band participation—$600
- Dance team fees—$400
- Winter Guard, Winter Percussion, and Winter Winds—$400 each
The district’s full fee document also includes dozens of additional charges tied to athletics, student clubs, uniforms, graduation expenses, and extracurricular activities across all grade levels.
District officials said the increases are designed to reflect the actual costs of operating student programs while continuing to support participation opportunities.
Several fees, however, will increase beginning in the upcoming school year.
Cost Increases For 2026-27
The most notable include:
| Program | Previous Fee | New Fee |
| DECA | $30 | $50 |
| FBLA | $25 | $50 |
| HOSA | $25 | $50 |
| Graduation Cords | $11 | $17 |
| Speech & Debate | $40 | $50 |
| Middle School Band | $20 | $25 |
| Esports Club | New Fee | $50 |
Fields said the increases for DECA, FBLA, and HOSA were largely driven by rising membership costs after national student organizations eliminated district affiliate memberships that previously helped absorb some expenses.
“The proposed adjustments primarily reflect minor increases,” Fields said. “The first of which are due to national student organization membership costs and operational expenses.”
She added that Esports have rapidly grown across district schools, prompting administrators to add a new fee category for students participating in those programs.
‘Finances Cannot Get In The Way’
Board member Mary Hales questioned district leaders about how the school system plans to ensure low-income students are not excluded from activities due to cost.
“What, if any, concessions have we made for students of low socioeconomic status?” Hales asked during the discussion.
Fields said each school is responsible for working directly with families facing financial hardship and can waive fees when necessary.
“We ask for the principal to have a team. Usually, our accounts, our school counselors, and social workers are very involved in this process,” Fields said.
She said if students or families raise concerns about affordability, school administrators work individually with them through an informal waiver process designed to protect privacy.
The exchange underscored the district’s position that students should not lose access to extracurricular opportunities because of financial hardship.
“Finances cannot get in the way of student participation,” Fields said. “We make that very clear.”
The updated fee schedule will take effect for the 2026-27 academic year across elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the district.
