MCPS will no longer sponsor service trips

Every year, students trade the comforts of home to live with high school students abroad. They explore new languages, tastes and cultures as a part of MCPS sponsored exchange programs.

But starting this year, MCPS will no longer sponsor any foreign exchange trips. Schools used to be required to cover costs for any students who couldn’t afford the trips, but due to the heavy financial burden this puts on schools, MCPS cut all programs. The decision will also help MCPS cope with budget cuts because it will no longer have to pay liability insurance for the trips, principal Alan Goodwin said...

http://www.theblackandwhite.net/2015/10/20/mcps-will-no-longer-sponsor-service-trips/ 

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Note the part of the article that has been highlighted.  Who was requiring "schools" to do this? As local schools are not given a budget for this expense, how was a local school supposed to find the money to pay for these trips?  Illegal curricular fees perhaps?