On Jan. 27, 2014, the Harford County School Board had a vote to remove the Pay to Participate policy, and the vote passed through 7-3.

The Harford County Board of Education voted 7-3 on a new $454.1 million dollar budget that involves recalling the newly implemented pay-to-participate plan. The Pay to Participate fee would charge students $50 per sport and $25 per activity.

Alysson Krchnavy brought up the idea to remove the fees at the meeting. But without the Pay to Participate in effect, it is projected that $309,500 will be subtracted from the new budget.

John Pitzer, a student at Bel Air High School, stated, “Without the pay-to-participate policy in effect, school sports seem to be more appealing to me again.”

The removal of the Pay to Participate policy will take effect next school year. This means that students will still have to pay for spring sports and other remaining after school activities for the rest of this current school year.

Nina Ingram, a teacher in Harford County, announced, “The fact that students had to pay for sports was ridiculous in the first place. I’m glad that they’ve finally come to their senses.”

The new policy without Pay to Participate will take effect by the beginning of the next school year. This will hopefully encourage more students to participate in school sports and afterschool activities in the future.