Throughout Columbia Public Schools (CPS) all three high schools have parking passes at $50 per person. The money from parking passes goes to the security staff at Battle. Also, parking passes are not prorated. 

Shelly Herman, the extracurricular activity (ECA) secretary, explained where the money used to pay for the parking passes goes to. “The parking passes are $50 because of security and safety costs. Part of the parking fee that students pay goes to the security staff and pays a part of their salary,” Herman said. ”When counting for a car to be parked for 180 days and you average that out, you are really only paying cents per day.” The pass fee works out to be 28 cents per day.

According to the Student Handbook, driving is a privilege among students. Michelle Baumstark emphasized that privilege. “Driving and parking on school property are privileges granted by the Board of Education to people who have reasons to be on school property. Students are expected to use safe driving practices on and around school property, and building principals can establish rules and procedures necessary for the operation and parking of automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles on school property. All student motor vehicles parked on school property must be registered with the school,” Baumstark quoted from the Handbook in an email. 

Students who don’t have a parking pass and are parked on school property will be given a ticket for parking on private property.

Senior Amara Reichert still believes the cost is too high. “I think for both semesters it should be at least $25 because $50 is too much.” 

Students who are in financial need should go see the school office or school counselor. Additional information on parking passes can be found in the student handbook.