Whether it is a volleyball tournament in Puerto Rico or a trip to New York to perform in the Macy’s Day Parade, out of state field trips have been a highlight of Hagerty extracurriculars. Recently, statements from district administrators are making people question if these student opportunities are in danger.
This discussion sparked in early April, when the Oviedo High School girls’ volleyball team was denied a trip to compete in a tournament in Hawaii. The trip was to be fully funded and fundraised for by the team and families, which brought confusion when the reason for the denial was stated as financial concerns.
Along with this, an email from assistant superintendent Mike Rice to principals was sent out on March 23, stating, “Due to budgetary considerations, all out-of-state and overnight trips starting this summer will not be approved.”
Following this, a school board meeting was held on Tuesday, April 14 where dozens of parents voiced their concerns about what this policy would mean for their children.
Responding to backlash from parents, the district further clarified that, “Out-of-state trips are not banned. They will be reconsidered on [an] individual basis.”
With students, teachers, parents and administration looking to clarify what the process of planning for out-of-state trips will look like next year, Seminole County School Board member Robin Dehlinger is sympathetic, but also said that the process is not as simple as it seems.
“The school board agreed to allow the superintendent flexibility in terms of the approval process for out-of-state travel,” Dehlinger said. “When people go places, it costs the district money, one way or the other.”
When school programs go on any trip, they are responsible for any costs so the school does not incur these expenses. If these programs are unable to cover costs after the trip has been improved, including all travel expenses and substitute teachers, the school must then pay out of pocket.
Despite the district seeking to give students opportunities for out-of-state travel, there may still be resources schools may have to provide.
“We all want our kids to have opportunities that help them in their education and arts [and] athletics. All of those things are super important, and we want to preserve those,” Delinger said. “We just have to make sure that we’re being financially responsible as we do it moving forward.”
Public schools have been facing budgetary struggles, as declining enrollment contributes to less and less funding per year. With homeschooling and virtual learning becoming more popular, the district plans to be more strategic in its spending.
In addition, after the passing of House Bill 1 in 2023, which made private school vouchers more accessible to families of all incomes, enrollment in private schools has been increasing every year by the thousands. This means fewer students are enrolled in public schools every year with enrollment rates having been less than projected for the past three years.
However, teachers like band director Brian Kuperman feel that the district’s actions will make enrollment issues even worse. Kuperman has taken students on several trips out of the state and country, and is worried that cutting these trips will damage his program.
“It was surprising and disappointing to hear an abrupt change to those procedures, especially without warning,” Kuperman said.
The school’s band has gone on multiple national and international trips, with students performing in Dublin, Ireland and Nuremberg, Germany. In the United States, students in the band program have marched in Thanksgiving Day Parades and the Cherry Blossom Festival near Washington D.C.
Kuperman believes that these travel opportunities give students the opportunity to grow connections with other students, experience other cultures and lead them into potential future careers in music.
“Electives, events, and activities outside of the constraints of the classroom are often what brings students to school,” Kuperman said. “In a time of declining enrollment and declining funding, I encourage the district to do everything they can to keep public schools an attractive option. I don’t know that the justification originally given holds weight.”
Principal Robert Frasca has many of the same concerns, especially since the band is already approved to travel to Chicago next year. With a Hagerty volleyball trip being denied previously, he is unsure how school groups will navigate tougher restrictions.
“Programs and teams aren’t supposed to raise money for a trip until it’s approved, so you don’t buy anything ahead of time,” Frasca said. “If we get the approval from above, they are taking a financial risk that if this is approved, what happens if they can’t afford it? Because a lot of times that money’s got to be paid.”
As it stands now, out of state travel is not going anywhere, but programs will need greater planning and fundraising efforts going forward. Students may be impacted with less opportunity if trips are not approved. Debate team member sophomore Michael Davidowitz qualified to compete in nationals, taking place in Washington D.C. The trip also includes the hotel stays and flights, which were ultimately paid for when students submitted their team dues.
“I look forward to meeting new people from across the country that share the same passion as me,” Davidowitz said. “If it was prohibited in entirety, I would not be very happy about it, since it would prevent me from being able to compete at a high level.”
The state of field trips remains uncertain, as does Seminole County’s budget. For now, students, teachers and coaches will have to plan ahead for overnight and out-of-state trips, knowing that the county may continue to release updates.
