Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the After School Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board reviews growth in after-school programs, approves administrative waivers to avoid payment delays
Summary
Amid rapid expansion of after‑school programs, the board discussed funding complexity and approved a blanket waiver allowing retired or former employees to work in after‑school programs to prevent delays in contracts and payments, while asking staff for policy work on program coordination.
Commissioners raised concerns Oct. 9 about the rapid growth and patchwork funding of after‑school programs — multiple grants, varying eligibility rules and large consulting contracts — and asked staff to develop policy options for a more coherent approach.
To avoid administrative delays in paying retired or former district employees who serve in after‑school programs, the board approved a blanket waiver in instances covered by state and federal after‑school grants. Mayla Ruheen, director of school health programs, said the waiver work was done in coordination with legal counsel because many after‑school grants require community-based organizations to be fiscal agents and include stipulations about who may be hired.
Legal and administrative staff explained that asking for waivers individually had caused payment delays of two to three months; the blanket waiver is intended to ensure timely payments while staff continue to refine program rules and coordination. Commissioners asked staff to track eligibility, program locations and parent-facing access to reduce confusion as programs expand to 90 sites.
