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District reports 1,300 students enrolled in expanded‑learning program; staff cite attendance and staffing challenges
Summary
District staff said about 1,300 students are enrolled in expanded learning (ELOP) programs this fall, with the district instituting designated‑day enrollment and a 30‑minute check‑in requirement to address safety and staffing amid heavy demand.
Dr. Summer Prather Smith, director of engagement in school climate, told the Santa Rita Unified School District Board that the district’s Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELOP) has enrolled roughly 1,300 students this school year and is operating with multiple partners, including the Boys & Girls Club. “We’ve had an amazing start to ELOP, but… it’s a lot for the start of the year,” Dr. Prather Smith said.
The district is offering on‑site after‑school programs and additional enrichments such as scouting, culinary arts, media, manual arts and music. Programs run, depending on site, from about 2:10 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. most days.
District staff described two operational pressures that prompted policy changes. First, many families had been treating ELOP as a drop‑in service, which left staff unable to reliably plan staffing and created safety risks when attendance was unclear. To address that, the district now requires families to designate the days a student will attend and to check in to the program for at least 30 minutes on those days so staff can confirm attendance and release students to caregivers.
Second, staff reported duplicate enrollments where families signed up for both the Boys & Girls Club and the district’s on‑site program. Dr. Prather Smith said the district has asked families to choose one program to avoid funding two slots for a single child.
On capacity, Dr. Prather Smith said the district monitors enrollment and uses periodic two‑week enrollment holds to hire and onboard staff when demand rises; she said the district has not yet reached a point where it cannot meet ratios. "We do, like, a 2 week halt. We get the hiring on board, and we can continue to grow," she said.
Board members praised the program’s expansion and the city partnership that supported safe traffic management at McKinnon Elementary during arrival and dismissal. Dr. Prather Smith credited Sofia Rome, identified in the meeting as the city public relations officer for the city of Salinas, for coordinating signage and communications with the district.
The district said it will continue to evaluate site‑level enrollment and staffing and add supports as needed.
