By the start of next school year, Island students could see a hefty price cut for off-Island trips, if the school committee approves a new pay structure in which groups pay only the direct costs associated with the trips. The new design would cut field trip costs in half, down to $200 per trip.

“We’ve been charging $400 per trip for an off-Island trip,” said school business administrator Amy Tierney at Monday night’s Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School district committee meeting. The money covers the cost of fuel, tolls, drivers’ fees and fleet maintenance. Ms Tierney said it costs some $160,000 per year to keep the off-Island vehicle fleet up and running.

With a total of roughly 320 trips per school year, the price per trip comes out to about $500. The $400 cost is split among students traveling on the trip, or occasionally covered in part or in full by the individual schools, and the difference is covered by the district. “So we are, in a way, subsidizing some [trips],” said Ms. Tierney.

Certain trips are excluded from the payment, like those for sporting matches and Minnesinger events. Other groups often raise money through fund-raising efforts, to travel to places like museums and theatres on the mainland. But the costs can still be prohibitive, especially when small groups try to plan a trip.

“I just came up with an alternative that was looking only at the direct costs of the trip,” said Ms. Tierney, which include fuel, driver and toll costs. “If I look at the same number of trips, I can bring the number down to $203. We want to go to this method in the fall.” She hoped that the lower costs would result in more opportunities for students to plan field trips off-Island.

School committee members agreed that the drop in price would benefit students. “Anything that can enhance the curriculum and enhance the students’ ability to travel off-Island . . . is wonderful,” said member Lisa Reagan.

“I feel remiss that it’s gone on this long,” said committee member Susan Parker, adding that the school needs to work to make sure that field trips are educationally sound, and that every student can afford to participate.

“I think everybody around the table wants the same thing. Regardless of what the activity is, it is exposure to off-Island,” said member Leslie Baynes, noting the importance of students being able to experience the “real world.”

But committee member Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter said that he wondered how the schools would cover the loss, since the costs to operate the fleet would remain the same.

Ms. Tierney said the new pay structure simply shifts some responsibility from the students to the school. Because the schools own the buses, they will assume responsibility for maintenance costs, she said.

“I’m not convinced that we can make back all those dollars, but we are going to look to make the fleet as economical and carefully driven as possible,” said superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss.

The plan will come up for discussion among the school transportation committee, which will then return a recommendation to the school committee. If approved, the new costs would go into effect in September.

In other business, the committee pre-approved a future trip to Prague for the Minnesingers, after their late April travel plans were canceled due to flight disruptions stemming from Iceland’s volcanic eruption. Several parents have since called the school to say that the travel company may be able to arrange another trip before the end of the school year.

“It’s a long shot, if you will, but we are looking into it,” said Mr. Weiss.

Three Vineyard youngsters showed up at the meeting Monday to announce their upcoming trip to participate in the May 28 Special Olympics in Mashpee. Austin, Celeste, and Elke presented the school committee with a video recording their preparation for the event. The film was set to a soundtrack of Beach Boys classics, musical favorites of the athletes during training. Coaches Lisa Knight and Laura DeBettencourt have stood by the three contenders during their months of training for different track and field events.

The Special Olympics are expected to draw some 200 students from across the state, and will be held this year in memory of the founder, the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died last August.