All Amsterdam students to attend class trips regardless of family finances

Amsterdam is making sure that all kids, regardless of their family's financial position, can participate in field trips, class parties, sports days and other extracurricular activities. From this coming school year, kids from low income families at all primary schools in the city can swipe their City Pass when it is time for the voluntary parent contribution for such activities. The municipality will then pay 50 euros contribution to the school per swiped City Pass, Amsterdam said in press statement.

"It is unacceptable that children are excluded from an outing or party", said Marjolein Moorman, alderman for education and poverty reduction. "We want a city where no child is left out. Fortunately I also see that school principals are looking for good solutions. This arrangement ensures that children are no longer excluded and puts an end to the dilemma faced by schools."

The City Pass regulation for voluntary parent contributions was first tested at four primary schools in the Zuidoost district in the 2016-2017 school year. In the 2018-2019 school year it was expanded to 82 primary schools throughout the city, and from this coming school year all 233 primary schools in Amsterdam can make use of the regulation. According to the city, the tests showed that both schools and parents found this approach to be accessible and easy to implement.

Amsterdam will actively approach the schools that are new to this regulation to explain how it works. A total of over 17 thousand primary-school aged Amsterdam children have a City Pass because they live in low-income families. These are families that have an income that is less than 120 percent of the social minimum and little disposable income.