Free student admission to the York Fair is now a thing of the past.

Fair officials announced Tuesday a plan that will do away with free admission for students during a single fair day and replace it with lower rates for the scholars throughout the 10-day event.

"We think it's what students want," said Gene Schenck, the fair president.

Students with student IDs will be charged a $3 admission fee any day they attend the fair. Students without school issued IDs will be admitted at that rate by showing proof of age if they are 18 years or younger, he said.

Younger and homeschool students who may not have student IDs will also receive the student rate, Schenck said.

Change: In the past, students could get into the fair for free on Tuesday. But fair officials found that some students didn't take advantage of the freebie.

"There was concern (among students) about the crowds being too big on Tuesday," Schenck said. "The days the kids want to come to the fair is Fridays and Saturdays."

Some students would skip the fair on Tuesday and instead go on Wednesday when crowds are lighter, he said.

A number of school districts would have a full- or half-day in-service day the Tuesday of the fair so students could take advantage of the free admission.

But times have changed, and some districts no longer have an in-service day then, Schenck said.

West York Area School District finalized its 2012-13 calendar and is slated to have an early dismissal on Sept. 11, the day that would have been free student admission day at the fair, said Superintendent Emilie Lonardi in an email.

Some students in districts that didn't have an in-service day during the fair played hooky and attend the fair instead of going to classes, Schenck said.

"That was an issue going back 15 years," he said.

- Reach Greg Gross at ggross@yorkdispatch.com.