field trip question

[SMD]

My sister teaches at a school that fundraises a lot. She goes on a field trip per month with her class. My friend teaches at an inner city school and she goes years between field trips. I asked her why when so many museums offer free admission for class groups and she said the cost of the bus and getting enough chaperones. I once organized the community outreach group at a place where I was working to go to the inner city school to volunteer. There was a class going on a field trip and each child had to provide their own bus fare for the city bus. I can't imagine the kids at my sister's school on public transportation, even if it were paid for them.

 

[mickeyboat]

When my kids were in elementary school, the PTA did fundraising for a couple of years to pay for field trips, but I don't think they do that any more. We pay for the admission cost for field trips now, and the school pays for transportation.

 

[mommasita]

I don't think a field trip to a restaurant is a good choice.

Agreed.. We Always pay, but that would be never be a "field trip".. Perhaps a fast food lunch on Washington trip or something like that, but then the kids would have their own money

 

[havaneselover]

Our field trips are strictly educational-Living in VA there's a lot of history within two hours. But we pay for the total cost.

The middle school music department is performing in Williamsburg (an hour away) in May then going to Busch Gardens. The field trip is costing me $90. That doesn't include park admission or food.

 

[Thing 1]

Many of our field trips are places like a state zoo or a transportation museum that offers free entrance to students. Lunch is always taken through the school so everyone is covered there. There are some trip destinations that do charge admission and kids pay for them. PTA does have funds for kids that can not afford to pay. There are also tons of grants that teachers can write for that will cover more elaborate/expensive trips. Im pretty sure that teachers could not get approval for Chucky Cheese for a field trip. They have to meet certain educational criteria.

 

[shoney]

We have always paid a fee for field trips. The school may subsidize some of the costs. The PTA doesn't get involved with school field trips. The PTA will sometimes sponsor in-school activities.

The last trip my ds15 went on was to Met Life stadium for a tour. It was $45 and they had to bring cash for lunch. They stopped at McDonald's by the school on the way back.

Most of the time, students are required to pack a bag lunch for school trips. In the younger grades, they would eat them in the classroom when they got back (if it wasn't a full day trip).

One thing I think is silly, is that they rent nice Coach buses for trips to NYC and beyond. School buses are only used for local trips. When I was kid, we took school buses everywhere.

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm in my 24th year of public school teaching and I've never heard of the school covering the cost of a field trip. Nope. I can't even imagine where the money would come from for that. My school does do a lot of fundraising but that $$ goes to other things. Not field trips.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

When your kids go on school field trips does the school make you pay for the whole trip? My daughter field trip is to a place similar to Chuckie Cheese they are asking for parents to pay 15 for unlimted pizza buffet and drinls and a game card. Is this the new norm?

They would make you pay for bus transportation and you would bring a sack lunch.

A field trip to a pizza/game place would not happen in elementary/middle school. It has to be "educational". Frankly, they cut out "field trips" for the most part or would only do a planned one.

My dd is a senior in HS in high school there are more optional things. If you choose to go on them you pay.

She is opting out of the Cardinals baseball game ($35) but is going to go on the Zoo Trip (have not gotten that slip yet).

 

[kmb584]

The PTA pays for all elementary school field trips. Once the kids are in middle/high school and go on day trips and week-long trips the parents are responsible for 75% of the cost.

 

[sam_gordon]

Towards the end of the year (say May), every day will have a different group of school busses at our local mall. And I'm not talking the local busses. I'm talking school districts that are 45 minutes to an hour away.

 

[tvguy]

Field trips were always at the expense of the parents for my kids, and for when I was a kid for that matter.
The bus used to be free, but the public schools here now charge like a $1 per student for using the bus on field trips.

My son did go on a subsidized trip to Las Vegas for a baseball tournament. Donors kicked in $20,000, but the kids all had to come up with $200 each. Not too back for a 600 mile bus trip each way, 7 nights in a hotel, and 8 days of food, plus tournament fees.

 

[mom2rtk]

Towards the end of the year (say May), every day will have a different group of school busses at our local mall. And I'm not talking the local busses. I'm talking school districts that are 45 minutes to an hour away.

I see there here sometimes too and I never understood. Surely they don't have field trips to the mall?

Our field trips here were much less frequent for our daughter (14) than they were when the boys (20 and 22) went through elementary school. I'm sure that has to do with the budget issues all schools face these days. They can't do it and ask parents to pay. Our free/reduced lunch population (the standard by which they decide who gets assistance for parent paid items) is so large they still end up paying the whole thing. So now they just don't go. I would gladly pay to offer more experiences to school. (Not the mall or pizza place).

 

[aprilchem]

Yes, we always have to pay. But why would they do a field trip to a place like that? My kids only go to field trips to educational places.

 

[kirstenb1]

Havanese Lover, same here. We're in Central Virginia. Our school now charges the cost of the trip, plus if there's any distance beyond about 30 miles, the cost of charter busses. We chaperones now pay too. Many years ago, when our oldest went to the same school, things were very different---less expensive, and the PTA would subsidize free/reduced lunch kids' field trips. I wish our PTA would go back to doing that.

 

[Southernmiss]

Yes, we always have to pay. But why would they do a field trip to a place like that? My kids only go to field trips to educational places.

We also pay for field trips.

Elementary schools around here reward kids for good behavior, grades, etc. With a half day field trip once a nine weeks or semester or year to the movies, a play place or Chuckie Cheese. Parents pay the cost of the activities.

 

[tazdev3225]

I just went on a trip with my grandson's class. I drove my own car and met them there and my cost included the bus. The zoo this week will be free as I have a membership. I don't mind that trip. I am hoping I don't get stuck with half the class as we lose my grandson at the zoo every time we go when there are 2 adults and just 3 kids. 2 adults and 10 kids is a recipe for disaster.

 

[scrapquitler]

I see there here sometimes too and I never understood. Surely they don't have field trips to the mall?

We have a movie theater in our mall, and sometimes the schools do trips to see a specific educational movie. Recently the middle school went to see Selma as part of the social studies curriculum. Maybe there's something like that going on.

 

[mom2rtk]

We have a movie theater in our mall, and sometimes the schools do trips to see a specific educational movie. Recently the middle school went to see Selma as part of the social studies curriculum. Maybe there's something like that going on.

I could buy that. But our mall doesn't have a theater.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Ours are usually free these days. The PTO annual fundraiser has been extremely successful several consecutive years. It's been really nice, though I'm sure it won't last forever.

 

[SLP958]

The school always charges for field trips. If you don't want your kid to go they can stay at school.