Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 20:59     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader is going to Kid Museum, and it's costing us $29. Over the years, it's been $6-10. We live in an area with free museums, why not go there? They also used to let chaperones go for free, and now they have to pay, even when it's just a bus ride to a Smithsonian. What if next year it's $50, or $100, where do they draw the line? Of course we all want our kids to go and not be excluded or need to ask the PTA for financial help, but is it impossible to pick something affordable?


I agree. Almost all of our field trips in elementary so far have been $15 or less, mostly under $10. IMO it's inappropriate to do more expensive field trips on a regular basis. Sure, do more expensive trips every once in awhile for a very special place/experience, but for run of the mill field trips there are so many great cheap trips they can take, and paying $25+ multiple times a year for multiple kids for field trips can really be a strain on some families.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 20:37     Subject: Re:Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Follow the money. They go to the Kid Museum because there is some family connection with a BOE member or MCPS employee who got MCPS to buy into their curriculum.


In Maryland, public school field trips connected to the curriculum are free of charge. If there is a charge, it's not part of curriculum and optional.


No, that’s not true at all. We’ve always paid.
Anonymous
Post 01/22/2026 19:46     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:My 3rd grader is going to Kid Museum, and it's costing us $29. Over the years, it's been $6-10. We live in an area with free museums, why not go there? They also used to let chaperones go for free, and now they have to pay, even when it's just a bus ride to a Smithsonian. What if next year it's $50, or $100, where do they draw the line? Of course we all want our kids to go and not be excluded or need to ask the PTA for financial help, but is it impossible to pick something affordable?


Are they using MCPS busses between 10 and 2 or are they using a charter bus. Depending on the distance it could be $300-500 for the bus. Then they’re off have to factor in the kids that won’t ever pay or be held accountable so they bump up the costs
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 17:42     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:$29 is cheap, OP. Where on earth were your kids going that only cost 6-10?

In middle school, the music field trip to Bush Gardens costs more than a 100, and in high school, it's more than a 1000 for an overnight trip to various US cities for music competitions.

You've seen nothing yet and you need to accept that your field trip budget will need to be adjusted. OR, that you need to ask for financial help.

But the prices you cite are par for the course.


NP....The Smithsonian's....which are free....you just need to pay for Bus fare. I grew up here and we went to the museums constantly, a few times a year, because they were free. If OP is going to the Kid Museum, they are ES, not going to Busch Gardens. ES should be cheap field trips, especially when we are within a 30 minute drive of free spots like the zoo.


Bus fee, the sub fee for the teacher as well, someone has to teach the grades that got left behind. I live nearby the border to DC, and a day trip to a museum on a bus for 30-40 kids cost me anywhere from 900-1,500$. Then a sub for the day iirc costs around 137-160$ i forgot the exact amount… but ya, it adds up. Now imagine several busses, a lot of the museums asks for chaperones for every 10-15 kids, now if some of those chaperones are also teacher, more sub cost gets added. So yeah, it adds up.



None of that can be charged to students in Maryland.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 17:23     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:$29 is cheap, OP. Where on earth were your kids going that only cost 6-10?

In middle school, the music field trip to Bush Gardens costs more than a 100, and in high school, it's more than a 1000 for an overnight trip to various US cities for music competitions.

You've seen nothing yet and you need to accept that your field trip budget will need to be adjusted. OR, that you need to ask for financial help.

But the prices you cite are par for the course.


NP....The Smithsonian's....which are free....you just need to pay for Bus fare. I grew up here and we went to the museums constantly, a few times a year, because they were free. If OP is going to the Kid Museum, they are ES, not going to Busch Gardens. ES should be cheap field trips, especially when we are within a 30 minute drive of free spots like the zoo.


Bus fee, the sub fee for the teacher as well, someone has to teach the grades that got left behind. I live nearby the border to DC, and a day trip to a museum on a bus for 30-40 kids cost me anywhere from 900-1,500$. Then a sub for the day iirc costs around 137-160$ i forgot the exact amount… but ya, it adds up. Now imagine several busses, a lot of the museums asks for chaperones for every 10-15 kids, now if some of those chaperones are also teacher, more sub cost gets added. So yeah, it adds up.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 17:20     Subject: Re:Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:Follow the money. They go to the Kid Museum because there is some family connection with a BOE member or MCPS employee who got MCPS to buy into their curriculum.


In Maryland, public school field trips connected to the curriculum are free of charge. If there is a charge, it's not part of curriculum and optional.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 17:02     Subject: Re:Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:Follow the money. They go to the Kid Museum because there is some family connection with a BOE member or MCPS employee who got MCPS to buy into their curriculum.


Its an easy field trip. I looked into it but they wanted to charge and we didn't have those kind of funds. They wouldn't make any exeptions at all.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 16:52     Subject: Re:Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Follow the money. They go to the Kid Museum because there is some family connection with a BOE member or MCPS employee who got MCPS to buy into their curriculum.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 16:37     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:$29 is cheap, OP. Where on earth were your kids going that only cost 6-10?

In middle school, the music field trip to Bush Gardens costs more than a 100, and in high school, it's more than a 1000 for an overnight trip to various US cities for music competitions.

You've seen nothing yet and you need to accept that your field trip budget will need to be adjusted. OR, that you need to ask for financial help.

But the prices you cite are par for the course.


NP....The Smithsonian's....which are free....you just need to pay for Bus fare. I grew up here and we went to the museums constantly, a few times a year, because they were free. If OP is going to the Kid Museum, they are ES, not going to Busch Gardens. ES should be cheap field trips, especially when we are within a 30 minute drive of free spots like the zoo.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 13:45     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:$29 is cheap, OP. Where on earth were your kids going that only cost 6-10?

In middle school, the music field trip to Bush Gardens costs more than a 100, and in high school, it's more than a 1000 for an overnight trip to various US cities for music competitions.

You've seen nothing yet and you need to accept that your field trip budget will need to be adjusted. OR, that you need to ask for financial help.

But the prices you cite are par for the course.


They are that high as you pay for the chaperones and a private company to arrange it. They could do it much cheaper. Teachers get kickbacks from the tour companies.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 13:44     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Kid museum charges admission despite getting a lot of money from Mcps.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 13:19     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
Anonymous wrote:$29 is cheap, OP. Where on earth were your kids going that only cost 6-10?

In middle school, the music field trip to Bush Gardens costs more than a 100, and in high school, it's more than a 1000 for an overnight trip to various US cities for music competitions.

You've seen nothing yet and you need to accept that your field trip budget will need to be adjusted. OR, that you need to ask for financial help.

But the prices you cite are par for the course.


My ES kids did not like Busch garden, and they preferred water county usa better. For real, MCPS MS will do field trips outside of DC and MD?
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 13:14     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
$29 is cheap, OP. Where on earth were your kids going that only cost 6-10?

In middle school, the music field trip to Bush Gardens costs more than a 100, and in high school, it's more than a 1000 for an overnight trip to various US cities for music competitions.

You've seen nothing yet and you need to accept that your field trip budget will need to be adjusted. OR, that you need to ask for financial help.

But the prices you cite are par for the course.
Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 13:11     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
My kids have been in MCPS since 2011, and even in the deeps of time, I never paid anything below $30 for a trip. Your $6 trips must have been heavily subsidized by the PTA, or perhaps the locations were free, you only had to pay for transport (or vice-versa).

Also, remember there's been rampant inflation in recent years.

I really don't think you can ask for cheaper trips, given area pricing. However, if you're eligible, you can always request financial support.

Anonymous
Post 01/21/2026 12:54     Subject: Field Trips have gotten so expensive
My 3rd grader is going to Kid Museum, and it's costing us $29. Over the years, it's been $6-10. We live in an area with free museums, why not go there? They also used to let chaperones go for free, and now they have to pay, even when it's just a bus ride to a Smithsonian. What if next year it's $50, or $100, where do they draw the line? Of course we all want our kids to go and not be excluded or need to ask the PTA for financial help, but is it impossible to pick something affordable?