Which one of the following is a fundraising strategy used by high schools facing budget shortfalls?

Fostering booster clubs stands out as an effective fundraising strategy for high schools dealing with budget shortfalls. Booster clubs are organizations formed to support school programs, particularly athletics. They consist of parents, alumni, and community members who engage in various fundraising efforts, such as organizing events, soliciting donations, and promoting community involvement. These clubs can significantly enhance a school's budget by generating additional funds through activities like sponsorships and merchandise sales, ultimately benefiting the sports programs and related initiatives.

In contrast, eliminating all sports programs would not resolve budget issues and would remove an essential aspect of school culture and student engagement. Holding bake sales, while potentially helpful on a small scale, typically generates limited funds compared to what booster clubs can achieve through more extensive campaigns. Increasing student fees could lead to dissatisfaction among students and parents, potentially reducing enrollment in sports programs and harming community support. Thus, fostering booster clubs is the most sustainable and community-integrated approach to sustaining and enhancing high school sports programs financially.