This is the norm.

I'm in the south where this stuff is a big thing. I went to a small private school but all of my friends went to the well-off public mega-school (1000 students per grade). Band is life for these kids AND THEIR PARENTS!

My real question concerns funding. Around here they have booster club and fundraisers for that kind of thing. Why don't they have alternate cash flow besides hitting up the parents for money every week?