As of September of 2025, student-athletes in the Tigard-Tualatin School District will pay a $175 fee in order to participate in sports.
After six years of fee-free play, the district decided to offset the cost of athletics with the charge. This comes after addressing a budget shortfall within the district of approximately $11 million.
According to an interview with a TTSD official in The Valley Times, adding a fee will not decrease the number of participants in sports, and it will help offset the cost of athletics. Students who cannot afford to pay the fee will have options for applying for a waiver.
“I dislike how paying for sports excludes financially incapable athletes, and that paying for sports discourages people from trying new hobbies or sports,” said junior David Baez Ortiz. “One of the pros for this is that it might increase funding for teams.”
According to the district, the fee can be reduced to $75 or completely waived for families with lower incomes through a request form.
According to the Tigard-Tualatin School District, about $275,000 was collected from student athletes in the 2018-2019 school year. District officials estimate that this upcoming school year will generate approximately $200,000 from over 1,800 student athletes. The maximum amount a family can pay for sports is $700.
Junior Maxim Mezentsev shared his thoughts about the fee.
“I think that a pro that comes from athletic fees is new sports equipment and team dinners,” he said. “I think a con would be that some student athletes might be too financially poor to pay the full price.”
