Nearly a dozen Southwest Ohio public school districts have levies on the ballot this fall. About half say they plan to raise student participation fees for activities and sports if those levies fail, or have already raised fees after recent levy failures.
One, Franklin City Schools, has struggled to pass a levy in recent years. After multiple failed attempts, the district cut staff and programs and raised athletic fees from $50 per student per sport to $350 per sport for high school students, with no cap for families with multiple children participating in one or more sports.
The school district is proposing a 1.25% earned income tax this November. If approved, the levy would raise an estimated $7.4 million annually, allowing Franklin to roll back one mill of local property taxes and dramatically reduce its pay-to-play fees to $100 per sport.
The school district's athletic boosters say the levy is critical for the future of Franklin's athletic program. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce now considers 100% of the district's students to be economically disadvantaged. Franklin Athletic Boosters President Jeff Crase says he often sees the community's economic struggles play out on the field.
"These kids can't even afford the mouthpieces, or cleats, or fees," he told WVXU.
Crase describes Franklin as a blue-collar community that takes pride in its schools and sports, but as prices for everyday essentials rise, he says more families are struggling to keep up with the higher fees. That's led to fewer students suiting up for teams.
"These kids Monday through Friday will put in the work," Crase says. "It gets to season time, and mom and dad can't shovel out $1,000 for them to play. Well, they're on the sidelines."
Students aren't just relegated to the sidelines. They're also leaving Franklin for nearby districts with lower pay-to-play fees. Crase says several talented student-athletes have left because their families couldn't afford for them to play multiple sports.
The talent drain has been most apparent in Franklin's win column. Years ago, the varsity football team recorded winning records over multiple seasons, but these days wins are harder to come by. The football team wrapped up its 2026 season with just one win.
As a result, the team sold fewer tickets, a significant revenue source for athletics, so boosters had to rely more heavily on fundraising campaigns and donations to cover costs and ease the financial strain on families.
Franklin's boosters run a Cats for a Cause program, which covers a portion of athletic fees for students in need. Booster Melissa Haws says the program has made a big difference, but it has its limits.
"We've helped 40 kids with their pay-to-play," Haws says. "Now, because funds are limited, we're not able to pay the full $350, but we can help take that burden off the families so they can afford extra gas to get to a game or another week of groceries."
The boosters say coaches and teams have worked hard and found some success, but a new levy would give many programs a boost to help turn things around or build on success.
Dave Kelley, a sports administration professor at the University of Cincinnati and former teacher, coach, and athletic administrator at Vinton County Schools, says steep pay-to-play fees have become more common as public schools try to keep their athletic programs financially viable.
Ohio law limits how much money school districts can use to fund their athletic programs and extracurriculars, capping it at 0.5% of the total general fund. Kelley says this forces teams to rely heavily on outside revenue sources like athletic boosters, local businesses, and pay-to-play fees.
"No wonder there's a need for things like booster clubs and other external support, and outside private revenue streams that need to basically fill in the gaps that public dollars don't fulfill," Kelley says.
Districts in wealthier communities have an easier time working within these limitations. Parents have less trouble covering high fees, and booster programs can often draw more financial support from the community. This allows wealthier districts to maintain robust athletic programs. Meanwhile, less affluent districts may see participation quickly decline in tough economic times, further widening economic and academic gaps.
"Sports participation can actually strengthen college applications and scholarship opportunities," Kelley told WVXU. "Participation gaps often mirror broader social and economic inequality."
Kelley adds that student participation in sports and extracurriculars is essential to a school's climate. Without them, schools can see worsening attendance, graduation rates, and overall student performance.
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