I am a proud alumni of Broward County Public Schools and Florida State Thespians District 7. As a student with very little direction and no goals, participating in educational theatre gave me the tools and ability to strive for more in life. I truly believe if I did not have the chance to access programs like the Florida State Thespian Festival, I would not be where I am today. As a BCPS educator, I strive to make theatre arts as accessible to our students as possible; one of the largest barriers to the performing arts is cost. Currently, since our educational performing arts groups, particularly theatre, are not considered School Allied Groups; students are seeing an increase in the cost to attend competition due to higher facility rental fees. District festivals are the only qualifier for state and international festivals. The rise in cost for in rental fees to performing arts while athletics and student government are considered SAGs adds an even larger discrepancy between associated costs to participate (athletic programs receive support to attend state competitions, while performing arts programs do not). At a time when students need tasks and activities that teach them intrinsic motivation, how to finish a large task aligned to a hard deadline, and skills that translate into multiple immediate careers after high school; making educational theatre competitions financially accessible for our students is crucial. Cross-curricular and transferrable skills flourish at these festivals. Please consider adding educational performing arts to your School Allied Group definition or provide a way for our state and national non-profit arts organizations to lease the school facilities for competitions and meetings the same way athletics and student government groups do.

As a veteran Broward County Schools Teacher who has always focused on what is best for students, I am frustrated by this policy. This policy (and its revisions) are not inclusive of our performing arts students. Why are educational athletics school allied, but not educational arts programs? Please consider adding educational performing arts to your School Allied Group definition or provide a way for our state and national non-profit arts organizations (that assess our students using state and national standards) to lease the school facilities the same way athletics do. For example, currently our schools are having to pay higher fees to participate in district festivals (the only qualifier for State or International Festivals) due to the high rent the School Board of Broward County charges now that we are no longer considered School-Allied. Though I do believe all extra-curricular programs offer benefits to students, I would argue the performing arts programs are doing even more to help our students in literacy and math standards. It is already frustrating that our arts students do not receive SBBC help to attend their state festivals-now they have to pay high fees to even qualify due to the lapse in this policy.