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Commission reviews plan to expand after-school program to five schools; city to rely on fees to cover cost
Summary
Commissioners discussed a proposed $372,000 recreation expansion to operate extended-day programs at five schools; staff said the program would be fee-supported and projected roughly $375,000 in revenue, with concerns raised about equity and site selection.
City finance and recreation staff presented details on a proposed expansion of the city's extended-day (after-school) program at the June 3 work session, describing a plan to operate at five school sites and to fund the expansion primarily through participant fees.
Finance staff described the $372,000 budget addition as a break-even effort offset by program revenues; staff identified the five proposed sites as Lake Hart Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Live Oak Elementary, Morningside Pre-K and Magnolia Pre-K. Officials said the program model mirrors the existing Robert Cross site and that the $372,000 cost assumes current enrollment levels at the newly served schools.
When commissioners asked about selection criteria and equity, staff said the five sites were chosen after reviewing eight initially proposed schools and that the city avoided expanding to all eight because of staffing and financial risk. "We tried to make it that it was not a losing proposition for us," a recreation official said. Commissioners questioned whether the program would place services where families can pay rather than where need is greatest.
Staff said parents would be charged $30 per week — the same rate the schools currently use for their extended-day offerings — and projected program revenue of about $375,000 against program costs estimated around $371,000 in the presentation. The city would hire part-time recreation staff to operate the sites and would reallocate some existing supervisors to the program; officials projected a total of roughly 31 recreation employees across the expansion (including part-time hires and supervisors).
Commissioners asked staff to continue coordinating with the school board and to consider a joint meeting to align program goals and identify potential federal, state or philanthropic funding that could reduce fees for lower-income families. No final appropriation vote occurred; commissioners asked staff for additional analysis on equity, funding sources and staffing before returning with a final recommendation.
