Angie Greenspan, a parent, told the El Segundo Unified School District Board of Education on Aug. 26 that the district is treating the TLC after‑school program “as an afterthought” and urged the board and new district leadership to make the program a priority.

Greenspan said two Richmond Street School TLC classrooms were reassigned last year to make room for Eagle’s Nest during construction, displacing “dozens” of after‑care students and forcing staff to use temporary spaces. “Try telling 30 kindergarteners they can't touch things in a classroom,” she said, adding that her daughter’s class “spent their afternoons and the entire summer in a windowless basement‑like room” and that another group was “crammed into the Richmond library — nearly 40 kids — with strict instructions not to touch any books.”

Beth Katz, whose family has used TLC for four years, echoed Greenspan’s account and added that families pay tuition for TLC and expect appropriate facilities and staffing. Katz said teachers received little advance notice for moves and that one third‑grade group was forced to share half a library while other district programs used the cafeteria; “So they ate on the floor,” she said. Katz asked the board and new leadership to conduct a needs assessment, speak with TLC teachers and make an ongoing commitment to the program.

Why it matters: TLC is a tuition‑based after‑school program that parents and teachers said provides a substantial portion of some students’ school day. Both speakers framed the issue in terms of student safety and program quality — citing large group sizes, inconsistent staffing and frequent moves — and asked the district for clearer communication and a plan to restore adequate indoor spaces.

Board response and context: Board President Glenn read the board’s public comment procedures before public speakers and thanked the speakers afterward; there was no motion or formal action recorded in the meeting directing staff to take specific steps on TLC. The district has ongoing construction at Richmond Street School to accommodate Eagle’s Nest, which speakers said has contributed to the displacement of TLC classrooms. Parents asked for transparency about decisions that affect paid programs and for district staff to meet with TLC teachers and parents.

What parents asked for and what was reported: Greenspan and Katz requested (1) an on‑site needs assessment by district leadership, (2) routine communication and accountability for TLC staffing and space decisions, and (3) that paid TLC participants be treated as district program stakeholders rather than an “afterthought.” Both speakers described episodes of short notice moves and understaffing; Katz said the third‑grade TLC group at Richmond had “almost 40 students with only 1 teacher and no consistent aid,” and called that “not safe.”

Next steps: The speakers asked the board to prioritize TLC and to meet with staff and families; the transcript does not record any formal board direction, staff assignment, or vote in response to the public comments during this meeting. The program’s staffing levels, room assignments and any follow‑up timeline were not specified in the meeting record.