Encouraging more parents to make voluntary contributions.

[Phteven]

My boys go to a great school. It is small and in most ways has a very enthusiastic and committed parent community however when it comes to the voluntary contributions lots of parents are choosing not to pay. I don't really understand why, they are quite low, most of the parents aren't on struggle street, there is an option to pay the library trust which is tax deductible. IMO it's excellent value for money.
I thought maybe I could put it to the BB brains trust..... can anyone come up with a way to make/encourage/entice more parents cough up their voluntary contribution?

[littlelara]

Maybe if they had more of an idea of where the money was going. Things are fairly vague at our school. Perhaps if there was more transparency they'd be more inclined to pay?
We pay it, but my man is a teacher

[fionas]

Maybe detail what the money could be used for:

x amount of new library books


etc. etc.

[Astrid]

Definitely say what type of things it is used for (I assume it is for things that are above the minimum that school has to provide). Maybe even highlight what will be dropped if not enough contributions are made.

Does your school allow a payment plan $X amount per term, or does the money have to be at the start of the year?

[Phteven]

Does your school allow a payment plan $X amount per term, or does the money have to be at the start of the year?

It can be paid any time. There is no payment plan.
Is it normal for it to be paid at the start of the year?

[Astrid]

No idea really. With Kinder (here in Vic), the one DD1 went to there was a voluntary fee of $90 up front or $25 a term (was never made clear it was voluntary), also heaps of fundraising (unfair as other kinders it was one or the other). Also I did not agree with all the expenditure.

At primary school, I am not even sure our fee was voluntary I know other schools locally paid for a book list, but we had one fee which covered books and also things like swimming lessons at the end of the year. Just looking up what the go is with school fees here.

[~Trish~]

I always pay ours (inc. the voluntary fee) at the start of the year when they hand us the fees notice, I'm assuming most schools do this? I don't understand why others wouldn't pay the voluntary fee it if they can afford it either . I think it's a great suggestion to give a break down of what the fees pay for and what the kids will miss out on without them.

[Miss.September]

Can you put a due date on a voluntary contribution?

I know if I was asked to pay a fee and there was no due date, I'd probably always intend to pay it, but things pop up all the time and it would get pushed to the following pay day, and then something else would pop up and so on. But if I had a due date, it would make me do it, ITMS? It would become more of a priority rather than something I could pay anytime?

Not saying that the contribution isn't important or shouldn't be a priority, just the way my mind works.

[onthefly]

It never occurred to me not to pay it. Stuff costs money.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Taking the itemising idea a bit further - can you offer a choice for where the money goes? Parents may feel strongly about certain areas of their child's education, and allowing them to donate directly to that area might help.