USD 383 approves $924,177 Boys & Girls Club MOU to keep after‑school fees low

The Manhattan‑Ogden USD 383 Board voted 7‑0 on July 9 to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan for the 2026–27 school year that provides after‑school homework assistance and subsidizes fees at seven elementary schools.

Board member Kristen moved for approval of the contract, which staff said is funded entirely from district at‑risk dollars. Nathan Downs told trustees the expenditure will be paid from at‑risk funds designated districtwide; staff said the district’s at‑risk revenue exceeded expenditures by about $2.6 million last year and that this allocation will not reduce building‑level allocations.

Trustees pressed for implementation details and measurement. One board member asked whether the tutoring elements and staff practices would be ‘‘evidence based’’; staff agreed to add evidence‑based language to future MOUs and described plans to track attendance and academic components consistent with Kansas State Department of Education expectations. The MOU includes a rolling five‑year facility use agreement (in‑kind value) while the district’s explicit dollars in the MOU cover the coming school year only.

Proponents said the district’s support will keep monthly fees affordable for families (staff noted the Boys and Girls Club had proposed increases up to $175 per month in some schools; the district subsidy keeps fees closer to $50 per month for qualifying families). The board approved the agreement and directed staff to work with the Boys and Girls Club and Teaching and Learning to finalize evaluation metrics.

Trustees said they will reevaluate future funding decisions depending on budget and program effectiveness and will consider reapplying for federal 21st Century grant opportunities if eligible.