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West Boise's Don Miller is feeling the pinch of putting his two high school age children in their respective sports programs this fall.

"If I were to create a bumper sticker it would say: "Sign your kids up for sports and school activities. It's a whole lot cheaper than jail," Miller exclaimed.

A father with two kids at West Boise's Centennial High School, Don miller knows a thing or two about signing his son and daughter up for fall sports.

Don's son Bennie is a sophomore wideout on the Patriots football team and daughter Mekenzie is a freshman volleyball player for the high school which is part of the Meridian School District.

The cost of two kids playing sports, buying school clothes and supplies is a minor burden for the Miller family.

"The total cost is $2,529 dollars," Don said, "when I went to school everything was taken care of except the yearbook and it was $10."

However, times are changing.

Budget shortfalls and shrinking education dollars in the Meridian School District and all throughout Idaho, has families like the Miller's picking up a large chunk of the back-to-school costs.

Bennie Miller argues the cost to his family to attend his high school is ridiculous.
"I thought it was $1,200 and I was shocked by that," the high school sophomore said. "But when my dad told me it was $2,500, I was like whoa. I mean, that's insane."

Although his parents assured him they will always be able to foot the bill for athletics, Bennie admits he sometimes wonders if his days on the Centennial football team are numbered because of the higher costs.

"I do worry," Bennie said. "Everyday I worry. If we weren't able to afford sports, that would just break my heart and it would be the worst day ever."
 
The estimated $2,500 bill for the Miller's is only the cost for the fall semester. The family is starting to save this summer for similar costs expected to come for spring semester athletics.