Philadelphia Public Schools Budget & Finance

Students, parents: How much are senior dues this year?

| April 11, 2024, 7:19pm UTC

High school graduates in red gowns line up outside on a green grassy field with blue sky in the background. — Philadelphia schools use senior dues to pay for graduation expenses, class gifts, luncheons, and more. We want to know how much your school is charging and what those dues cover. (Carly Sitrin / Chalkbeat)

It’s that time of year again: Schools across Philadelphia are collecting senior dues for this year’s graduating students to go toward prom, senior luncheons, class t-shirts, gifts, and graduation expenses.

According to a spokesperson for the Philadelphia School District, the average cost for these fees citywide is $200 per student, but we’ve heard those amounts vary widely from school to school and from year to year. Some are all-inclusive and cover prom tickets, class trips, and portraits, while others only pay for graduation-specific costs.

We want to know how much you’ve been asked to pay for senior dues, what they pay for, and how you feel about this practice.

Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.

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