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Parents, students urge board to seek affordable options instead of $310 YMCA fee at Gulf Gate Elementary
Summary
During public comment the Sarasota County School Board heard repeated appeals to avoid placing a $310 monthly pre/post-care fee on families at Gulf Gate Elementary and to form a task force to study the community schools model as a lower-cost alternative.
Speakers at the Sarasota County School Board meeting on June 10 pressed the board to find more affordable before- and after-school care than the $310 monthly fee proposed by an external provider for Gulf Gate Elementary, and urged the district to explore a community schools model instead.
Public commenters said the fee would be unaffordable for many families and cited local economic data to show need. Carol Lerner, a resident who referenced the United Way’s ALICE study, said the study shows it takes about $100,000 a year for a family of four to live in Sarasota and that many local families fall well below that threshold. “ALICE stands for asset limited, income constrained, employed,” Lerner said. She asked the board and Superintendent Conner to form a task force to explore community schools, noting earlier interest from local foundations, nonprofits and arts organizations.
Several student and parent speakers made…
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