Use of Participate Fees Falls in 2016-17
July 20, 2017
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Just under half of high schools responding to an annual Michigan High School Athletic Association survey assessed participation fees to help fund interscholastic athletics in 2016-17, making it the first school year since 2009-10 that fewer than 50 percent of respondents reported not charging student-athletes to play sports.
The survey, completed by 557 high schools – or 74 percent of the MHSAA membership – showed 49.7 percent charged participation fees, down from 51.5 percent in 2015-16.
There were 750 senior high schools in the MHSAA membership in 2016-17. This was the 13th survey of schools since the 2003-04 school year, when members reported fees were charged by 24 percent of schools. The percentage of member schools charging fees crossed 50 percent in 2010-11 and reached a high of 56.6 percent in 2013-14.
Class A schools remained the largest group charging fees, as 70 percent of respondents did so in 2016-17 and at least 70 percent have charged for the last five years. Class B schools ticked up to 52 percent charging fees, but Class C (42 down from 49 percent) and Class D (35 down from 38 percent) both reported lower percentages of schools charging fees.
Charging a standardized fee for each team on which a student-athlete participates – regardless of the number of teams – remains the most popular method among schools assessing fees, with that rate at 44 percent of schools that assessed fees for the second straight year. Schools charging a one-time standardized fee per student-athlete rose slightly, from 27 to 31 percent over the last year. Also for the second straight year, the survey showed a slight decrease in schools assessing fees based on tiers of the number of sports a student-athlete plays (for example, charging a larger fee for the first team and less for additional sports) and also a slight decrease in fees being assessed based on the specific sport being played.
The amounts of most fees also remained consistent from 2015-16 to 2016-17: the median annual maximum fee per student at $150, the median annual maximum family fee at $300 and the median per-team fee at $75 – all for at least the third straight year. The median fee assessed by schools that charge student-athletes once per year increased again, but only $5 to $125 after showing a $20 increase per student-athlete between 2014-15 and 2015-16.
The survey for 2016-17 and surveys from previous years can be found on the MHSAA Website by clicking here.
The MHSAA is a private, not-for-profit corporation of voluntary membership by more than 1,400 public and private senior high schools and junior high/middle schools which exists to develop common rules for athletic eligibility and competition. No government funds or tax dollars support the MHSAA, which was the first such association nationally to not accept membership dues or tournament entry fees from schools. Member schools which enforce these rules are permitted to participate in MHSAA tournaments, which attract more than 1.4 million spectators each year.
122 Schools Recognized as HEARTSafe
May 15, 2015
The Michigan departments of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and Education (MDE); American Heart Association (AHA); Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA); and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young (MAP-SCDY) have awarded 122 schools in Michigan with the MI HEARTSafe School designation which recognizes schools that are prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies.
“Sudden cardiac death claims the lives of more than 300 Michigan children and young adults between the ages of one and 39 years of age each year,” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive of MDHHS. “Implementation of CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) within 3-5 minutes is crucial for increasing the chance of survival. Cardiac arrest is often unexpected and frightening, and I’m pleased to see so many of our schools taking preventative measures to address this health issue.”
Between 1999 and 2009 in Michigan, there were 3,134 young individuals between 1 and 39 years of age who died of sudden cardiac death. Of those, 246 were between 5 and 19 years of age. In its second year, the MI HEARTSafe Schools designation is Michigan’s commitment to reducing the number of sudden cardiac death in our youth. Last year was the first year of the program, and 40 schools were designated in Michigan.
“MDE is proud to support MI HEARTSafe schools,” said State Superintendent Mike Flanagan. “Ensuring schools are prepared for sudden cardiac emergencies through planning, training, and AEDs is an important part of having safer learning environments for students, staff, and the community.”
Public Act 12 of 2014 requires all schools (grades kindergarten to 12) to have a cardiac emergency response plan in place. This designation recognizes 122 schools that have taken steps above and beyond to prepare to respond in the event of a cardiac emergency, and is awarded for a period of three years. Click for the list of designated schools.
“The Michigan High School Athletic Association is proud to partner with the state of Michigan to promote the MI HEARTSafe Schools program,” said Jack Roberts, executive director of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. “It’s important we all do our part to help schools prepare for unexpected emergencies to keep children in our communities safe.”
In order for a school to receive a MI HEARTSafe designation, it must perform at least one cardiac emergency response drill per year, have a written medical emergency response plan and team, have current CPR/AED certification of at least 10 percent of staff, have accessible, properly maintained and inspected AEDs with signs identifying their location and ensure pre-participation sports screening of all student athletes using the current physical and history form endorsed by the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Schools that meet all of the requirements will be able to apply for the MI HEARTSafe School designation each year. Click for more information about the MI HEARTSafe Schools program.