Tight budgets have public entities working as hard as ever to find cost savings.

As part of that, school districts too often find themselves looking at extracurricular activities as areas to cut.

High school students' involvement in school activities was the topic Monday during a meeting of southwest Kansas school boards. Information from the Kansas Association of School Boards included research that shows students who are involved in such extracurricular activities as sports, music and drama are less likely to drop out of high school.

Involved students also are less likely to experiment with drugs, be arrested or become teen parents.

Such clear benefits should make maintaining access to extracurricular activities a priority. But escalating costs -- fuel, for example -- put districts trying to provide an excellent educational experience in a tough spot. They don't have the option of cutting back on standard curriculum, which makes extracurricular activities vulnerable.

One strategy has been asking parents to contribute more toward the cost of student activities. While understandable, such requirements can sideline students who would benefit most from those activities, but come from families who can't afford any extras.

That's but one reason it's necessary to look beyond the school board meeting room in addressing an area that involves the community as a whole.

Extracurricular activities, whether sports, music, a school play or other activities, provide entertainment and give local residents another reason to be proud of the efforts of students and teachers.

Plus, at a time sedentary lifestyles put children at risk of serious health problems, students today don't need another excuse to spend more time in front of computer games or watching television.

And in an era of shrinking populations in rural areas, limiting student opportunities only creates another reason for families to leave or choose not to move there.

It's all cause for businesses and others in the private sector to consider what more they could do to make a difference.

School boards have an obligation to spend taxpayer dollars with care. Exploring new public-private partnerships that could keep opportunities alive makes sense.

As for being tempted by short-term savings, they also need to consider the long-range impact -- and not only on students, but the community as a whole.