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Afterschool program sees steady growth but funding remains uncertain, board told
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Summary
District staff reported three years of growing afterschool enrollment and average daily attendance, outlined partners and enrichment activities, and warned that federal afterschool funding remains uncertain; parents and students praised the program during public comment.
District staff presented a three-year overview of the Pittsville afterschool program, saying enrollment and daily attendance have grown while the program expanded enrichment partners but remains vulnerable to federal funding cuts.
The afterschool lead (Speaker 2) said Year 1 (2023–24) ran 149 days with 84 total enrolled and an average daily attendance of 31; Year 2 grew to 169 days with 116 enrolled and average daily attendance of 48. In Year 3 the program had recorded 112 days with 109 students enrolled and an average daily attendance trending toward 57–58 if numbers hold. Regular-attendance rates for participants were reported at about 63%.
Staff emphasized that the program serves a high share of economically disadvantaged students (48% in Year 1, rising to about 55% in Year 2) and that 19–20% of participants are English-language learners or special-education students. Partners listed include the Wood County Extension, Team Extreme, Discovery and volunteer high-school workers.
The afterschool lead warned that federal funding for afterschool programs was again under pressure in the proposed congressional budget, and that district staff are exploring community partnerships and parent donations as contingency plans. "This year, we're going into the summer again... very uncertain as how things will work," the presenter said.
Several parents and one student spoke in support during the public-comment portion, emphasizing the program’s importance as childcare that allows parents to work, provides safe activities and builds employability skills for high-school students who staff the program.
Board members asked for follow-up on sustainability and partnership options; staff said they will continue outreach and explore alternatives if federal funding is reduced.
