The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-06-30
TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1881
Costs Of Schooling

Although the few school districts not yet consolidated with the city may object, Water- bury's new charter explicitly states that chil- dren from these sections shall be admitted to grade or high schools within the second dis triet only upon payment of an annual fee ot not less than $75 in the case of the former and $150 in the latter. If the Board of Edu- cation should take it upon itself to impose this section (and we think it probably will we can imagine the storm of protest that would follow. However there are several factors entering into this change in the charter that must be considered before rash judgments are formed.
 Offhand person might think that mni- mum of $75 and $50 for grade and high school pupils seems high, especially so after we learn that since 1902 pupils from the school districts have been coming into the inside district to grade or high school for tuition fee of $30 in both cases. But we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the costs of schooling in 1902 and 1891 are quite diff ferent. You can't educate child today for what you could in 1902. There has never been revision in the tuition fees charged the residents of school districts despite mounting costs. Pupils from outside towns now pay the minimum rates of S75 and $50. It IS no more than fair that the school districts should do the same when they seek the privi- leges of inside district schools.
 Towns like Cheshire and Middlebury have been paying $50 for high school pupils for four or five years now. A year or SO ago Cheshres school board contemplated having all pupils desiring high school education trans- fer to the Waterbury institutions owing to the fact that New Haven was increasing its tuition rates to outside students. The local school department has managed to revise Its rates to outside towns pupils because the law permitted it to do so. In the case of the out side school districts it could not raise the rate of $50. although it was costing much more than that to educate outside school district pupils in the inside district schools, because tise law had to be amended to do so
 In this eontrovesy pupils from outside school districts must be regarded in the same light as pupils from outside towns To be sare pupils from other towns pay no local tagss nor do their parents. The town simply pays for their tuition fees The outside school districts do not pay the same taxes. however, as does the inside district. The entire support of the high schools and grade schools in the inside district falls entirely upon the taxpayers of this district Naturally inside district taxpayers don't want their taxes increased by the outside districts sending their pupils into the inside schools at a cost far below the per capita estimate.
 The total tax of the outside school district resident does not amount to that of the inside district taxpayer. despite the fact that the former levies special school tax. And form ery the city aided the school districts by foot ing part of the expense of the teachers pay roll However. the city has dropped this payment in an effort to force the consolidation of all school districts with the city. Before the remaining school districts in Waterbury take action on the charter change we advise representatives to confer with the education board and school officials. Perhaps the jus rice of the S75 or $50 fee may then become apparent.