Board narrows public access during after-school Encore expansion, approves Golden Hill pilot and a subsidized junior-high program

District staff told the Fullerton School District Board of Trustees that rapid growth in after-school (Encore) enrollment requires expanded staffing and clarified campus-access choices for when Encore runs during after-school hours.

"With the January 2026 expansion, we project enrollment to approximately 3,303 students," Jason Chong, district Expanded Learning director, said during the presentation. He said staffing needs districtwide would grow from roughly 162 to about 320 people to meet the expanded demand and maintain program quality.

Staff presented four access options for campuses during Encore hours. Option A would keep campuses closed to the general public until Encore ends at 6 p.m. while allowing vetted Facilitron reservations. Option B would open a supervised, designated area for families for one hour after dismissal (staff estimated $60,000–$75,000 annually). Option C would allow broader access but require fingerprinting/raptor checks and other heavy safety investments (estimated $665,000–$790,000 annually). Option D—presented as a committee alternative—keeps campuses closed through Encore with no new district cost.

Community members spoke at length. Golden Hill parents, including Erin Hazleton, urged the board to preserve community access at their campus because Golden Hill does not have a nearby city park. "Our kids need places to play after school," Hazleton said.

Trustees spent more than an hour weighing safety, liability, equity and prior facility-use agreements that allow sports groups and community partners to use school fields. Concerns included how partner groups use Facilitron bookings, whether adults attending youth activities are required to be screened, and field-sharing contracts with the city.

After debate, the board directed staff to keep the district’s default approach that campuses remain closed during Encore hours except for vetted Facilitron partners and contracted users, while giving staff latitude to prioritize Encore’s use of campus space. The board also approved a pilot supervised one-hour "parent hour" (by roll call, vote 3–2) at a staff-designated site—Golden Hill was suggested—running January through May to test whether supervised access meets community needs without compromising Encore operations.

On the question of providing free junior-high Encore, trustees debated cost and equity. Staff said expanding free junior-high programming at Parks, Beechwood and Fisler would cost about $248,000 annually on the current numbers; Parks alone was costed at $174,000 a year on initial enrollment assumptions. Rather than making the program universally free at all sites, the board approved an alternative motion directing staff to create a subsidized program for highest-need students at the named junior highs and to return with eligibility criteria and costs (motion passed 5–0).

Trustees asked staff to return with clarified facilities-use rules, principal input on implementation and a timeline for field allocations so community sports groups and partners can plan. Staff said they expect more-solidified Encore registration numbers in January and will work with the city on field allocations when those figures are available.

What’s next: Staff will implement the board’s direction (restricted campus access default, Facilitron exceptions, pilot parameters) and prepare a follow-up report on the pilot and subsidy criteria at upcoming meetings. The board set a January 20 meeting where staff may report updated enrollment and field-use allocations.