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Anderson County board approves preschool restructuring and employee-childcare tuition increase
Summary
The board approved raising employee childcare tuition and opening an additional employee childcare site while also restructuring preschool programming after losing funding for two state-funded classrooms; officials said wait-listed families will still be served and one classroom will convert to Head Start.
The Anderson County Board of Education approved a set of changes to its preschool and employee-childcare programs at the May meeting, including a modest tuition increase and the repurposing of state-funded preschool classrooms after a loss of eligibility.
Director of Schools reported that employee childcare tuition will rise from $175 to $180 per week, which the Director said would increase the per-child annual cost by about $185. The board also approved opening an additional employee-childcare site at Norwood Elementary to supplement existing sites at Claxton Elementary and Andersonville Elementary; the Director said the district has a waiting list of roughly 32–33 employees seeking childcare.
On preschool programming, the Director said the district lost funding for two state-funded classrooms because enrolled families were over the income eligibility threshold. The board approved restructuring so that one affected classroom will become a Head Start slot and staff will transition locations, with slots moved from the Clinton location as part of the change. The Director clarified that everyone currently on the wait list will continue to be served.
Board members discussed timing and safety for opening the new childcare site; the Director said the goal is to have the Norwood site ready by the start of school. The board approved the tuition adjustment, the opening of the additional childcare center, and the preschool restructuring by motion and voice votes.
What happens next: the district will implement the new tuition, proceed with preparations for the Norwood site, and coordinate Head Start slot transfers as the fall schedule is finalized.
