CC - Item No. 8A - Park and Recreation and Rosemead School District After-School CoordinationROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JEFFRY ALLRED, CITY MANAGER
DATE: SEPTEMBER 22, 2009
SUBJECT: PARKS AND RECREATION AND ROSEMEAD SCHOOL DISTRICT
AFTER-SCHOOL AND EXTENDED CARE PROGRAM COORDINATION
SUMMARY
As indicated during the regular City Council meeting on September 8, the Rosemead
School District was notified in August of a loss of latchkey funding used to operate its
Safe Care program. As a result, the district and the City of Rosemead have been
exploring coordinated efforts to continue provision of after-school and all-day care for
local students.
Staff Recommendation
In response to the request of the Rosemead School District, the Parks and Recreation
Department is willing and able to enhance child care programming by:
a) Providing a fee-based "day camp" service for students during school vacation
periods (i.e., summer, thanksgiving, winter, and spring breaks),
b) Coordinating existing school-based drop-in recreation programs with school
district-sponsored after school programs, and
c) Exploring the potential of a fee0based after school program for kindergarten
students.
Staff is therefore seeking City Council direction regarding these proposed programs to
be offered in coordination with the Rosemead School District.
ANALYSIS
The present state of the economy has impacted individuals and agencies alike. The City
has been informed of changes in funding and state take-aways that could amount to
more than $2 million. Earlier this year, the Woodcraft Rangers were notified that they
were not re-funded through the 21St Century Community Learning Center grant
program. This resulted in reductions of 25% in site capacities. In August, the Rosemead
School District received notice from the state that their annual latchkey funding would
be discontinued at the end of August 2009.
APPROVED FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: F ITEM NUMBER:
City Council Meeting
September22, 2009
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Since receiving the notice, the Rosemead School District has been exploring ways to
provide needed care to displaced students. They have evaluated program costs and
funding options and are considering an expansion of the after-school program, which
currently serves nearly 500 students (at no cost to parents). Lastly, the district asked the
City to consider: (a) expansion of its Day Camp program to provide all-day care for 15
weeks of the year, (b) to consider ways to supplement the activities of the ASES
program through our existing after-school recreation program, and (c) to explore a
possible fee-based after-school program specifically for kindergarten students.
Below is a review of state funding sources and the programs for which they provide as
well as the variety of programs offered by local agencies, proposed efforts by the
Rosemead School District to provide for families effected by funding losses, and a
proposal detailing how the Parks and Recreation Department can assist the district with
the provision of child care programs.
Extended Day Care/School Age Community Child Care (Latchkey) Program
The State of California provided latchkey funding to schools and other agencies to
assist in the provision of childcare programs. Latchkey program funds serve children
ages five to twelve years (at the time of enrollment.) School-age community child care
programs provide a safe environment with age- and developmentally appropriate
activities for school-age children during the hours immediately before and after the
normal school day and during school vacations. These programs must have a minimum
of 50 percent enrollment from families that can pay the full cost of care, although this
requirement can be waived if the agency can demonstrate its impracticality.
Rosemead School District has received state latchkey funding for 25 years to offer its
Safe Care program to kindergarten through 6th grade students at select schools.
Program participants pay no to full cost ($288) per month for participation-based on
economic eligibility. As recently as last year, Rosemead School District received slightly
more than $203,000 in latchkey funds for the program. This, in addition to participant
fees, resulted in the $385,000 needed to run the program 248 days annually. Services
include before and after school care and extended day care on pupil-free days. The
program serves 40 students each at Encinita, Janson, and Savannah schools.
Seventeen of the 120 are kindergarten students. According to district personnel, five
students need before school care, 98 attend after school activities, and 40 participate in
extended day care.
Garvey School District received similar funding from 1983 to 2008 with which it operated
its SACC Program at four school sites. However, low enrollment, increasing district
expenses (state funds and participant fees did not cover costs), and an increase in the
number of parents transitioning students to its after school program (for no cost)
resulted in the closure of the program.
City Council Meeting
September22.2009
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Recently, the California Department of Education issued a bulletin that latchkey funding
was formally terminated effective August 31, 2009 in accordance with state Budget Bill
AB 1X4. This resulted in a loss of $203,000 for the Rosemead School District (53% of
Safe Care's operational costs). The district has determined to fund Safe Care through
the end of October and is seeking alternative ways to meet the childcare needs of
participants being displaced from the program.
Proposition 49 (After School Education and Safety/ASES)
In 2002, California voters passed Proposition 49 to increase the state's investment in
after school programming. School districts, county offices of education, cities or
counties, and non-profit agencies partnering with a school district or county office of
education are eligible for ASES funds.
Grants are awarded at $7.50 per child per day for after school for 180 days of the
school year (up to $112,500 for elementary schools and $150,000 for middle schools).
Before school care and other supplemental funding (i.e., large school adjustments,
waiting lists, and intercession) are available through Proposition 49. Programs may
charge fees, but no one is turned away for an inability to pay.
Eligible programs must include:
• An educational and literacy component (tutoring and/or homework assistance);
• An enrichment component, which may include, but is not limited to, recreation
and prevention activities; and
• A daily nutritious snack for participants.
Student-to-staff ratios cannot exceed 20 to 1 and programs must remain open until at
least 6 p.m. and operate for at least 15 hours per week. Elementary school programs
must enroll students 5 days per week and middle school students must enroll students
for a minimum of 9 hours per week (operating at least 3 days per week).
Both Rosemead and Garver School Districts receive ASES funding and provide after
school care for 1St through 8t grade students. Rosemead uses the funds (approximately
$600,000 annually) to operate its own ASES program. Garvey receives just over $1.4
million and subcontracts with Woodcraft Rangers for its program at 11 school sites.
Participation levels and waiting list figures for both programs are detailed below:
Rosemead School Site
Participants
Waiting List
Encinita
88
Janson
88
Savannah
88
Shuey
88
Muscatel Middle
125
Totals
477
250
City Council Meeting
September22, 2009
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Garvey School Site
Participants
Waiting List
Bitely
90
5
Emerson
95
17
Rice
87
10
Sanchez
90
12
Willard
87
5
Garvey Intermediate
85
0
Temple Intermediate
78
0
Totals
612
49
Participation in these after school programs represent less than 16% of Rosemead
students attending schools in both districts as seen in the table below.
School
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Encinita
61
67
52
50
62
45
52
Janson
99
92
101
88
93
96
94
Savannah
53
96
100
80
102
91
93
Shue
Muscatel
Sub Total
70
283
74
329
54
307
73
291
90
347
60
292
t
368
368
380
380
2911
Bitely
71
73
76
64
103
72
83
Emerson
76
89
88
79
96
82
82
Rice
104
81
91
94
91
97
86
Sanchez
52
65
55
61
80
62
62
Willard
Garvey
Temple
Sub Total
55
358
81
389
72
382
74
372
70
440
75
388
68
381
395
244
639
408
217
625
97
Totals
641
718
689
663
787
680
695
1007
1005
6885
215 Century Community Learning Centers (21' Century Funding)
California's 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program is a state-administered,
federally funded grant program resulting from the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. It
provides funding to create incentives for establishing before- and after-school
enrichment programs that partner schools and communities to provide academic and
literacy support and safe, constructive alternatives for youth. Each program must
consist of academic assistance, educational enrichment, and family literacy service
components. Programs must operate during every regular school day and may operate
on pupil-free days.
City Council Meeting
September22, 2009
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Local educational agencies, cities, counties, community-based agencies, other public or
private entities (which may include faith-based organizations), or a consortium of two or
more such agencies or organizations can apply for funds. Programs must be a
community-wide collaboration of parents, youth, school districts, governmental agencies
(e.g., cities, counties, parks and recreation departments), community organizations, and
the private sector.
Rosemead School District has never applied for 215 Century funding. Woodcraft
Rangers received 2151 Century monies in 2006-07 and 2007-08 to help offset the cost of
after school programs at Garvey School District sites. However, they were unsuccessful
in procuring the funding for the current school year, which led to a 25% reduction in
after school program capacities at all sites.
Alternative Payment Programs (Options)
At the City Council meeting of September 8, there was discussion about Options, a
state-recognized Alternative Payment Program. In speaking with an Options
representative, the state has made funding available to them to provide for Safe Care
and other participants who have been displaced by the state's de-funding of the
Latchkey program. Additionally, that funding can be used for Safe Care or any number
of similar programs. However, subsidized families qualify for the funding. That would
include 40 Safe Care participants. Options staff says that they have communicated with
each of those families, but, despite deadlines, fewer than half have responded.
Rosemead School District Proposal
Rosemead School District reviewed Safe Care Program costs and determined that
participants would have to pay in excess of $400 monthly to fund the program. Because
it was too cost prohibitive, they have focused on creating the ASART (After School
Academy and Recreation Tutorial) Program as a for-fee equivalent of ASES, for which
participants would pay $175 per month (19 participants have registered for the ASART
Program). As earlier indicated, the district has also asked the City to supplement after
school efforts through our drop-in program. This proposal, however, does not address
childcare for kindergarten students (whose schedules differ from older students) or
before-school care for any students.
To ensure that working parents are provided a childcare option during pupil-free days,
the district has requested that the City expand our Day Camp program from 8 weeks of
summer to 15 weeks year-round for which they would consider providing a facility.
Parks and Recreation Department Programs
The Parks and Recreation Department is transitioning its elementary after-school sports
program to reflect more traditional after-school recreation including games, crafts,
drama, dance, contests, mascot and cheer programs, and intramural sports. For the
current year, our middle school program will continue to focus on competitive sports.
City Council Meeting
September22, 2009
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We have long programmed in partnership with both ASES and Woodcraft Rangers in
the provision of after school programs. Both have participated in city run sports leagues
and ASES students have been involved in a variety of activities at several sites. This
makes a partnership with ASES fairly easy to accomplish.
There are currently discussions with ASES personnel to attempt a pilot program at
Shuey in which both agencies share responsibility for enrichment activities. In return,
City program participants would be given access to ASES' homework assistance-a
component we desire to add to our program. If successful, similar efforts could be
attempted at all sites. All of the activities we currently offer meet the enrichment
component requirement. We would incur no additional costs for this joint program.
As City Council is aware, the City offered a Day Camp program during the summer. It
operated for eight weeks. Participants paid $90 to $100 per week and costs were
covered by fees (except transportation-which is paid through Prop A funds). The City
could expand the Day Camp to include 11 weeks of summer, a week during the fall, two
weeks in the winter, and one week of spring without incurring additional costs by
offering to participants at cost. Estimated costs for 5-day Day Camp program for 30
participants are detailed as follows:
Purpose
Expenditure
Weekly Cost
Staff (10:1)
172.5 hrs/week $11.73/hour
$2023.43
Supplies Crafts, games, sports, etc
$10/participant
$300
Excursions
$12/participant
$360
Total
$2683.43
Cost per participant
$89.45
As indicated, a program can be offered to participants at a rate of $90 per week.
However, program components including excursions and staff-to-participant ratios can
be adjusted to decrease costs. Additionally, the cost of supplies would decrease over
time as not all supplies are disposable.
It is, therefore, possible, for the City to provide for the extended day care needs of Safe
Care and other parents at no additional cost to the City if Day Camp fees are set at a
rate for full cost recovery of operational expenses.
Additional Items
A review of grant sites including the California Department of Education, the Foundation
Center, Grants.gov, the US Department of Education, and the US Department of Health
and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families by the City's Grants
Coordinator, suggests that little monies are currently available. When monies are made
available for school districts, they are directly notified. As noted by district personnel
during the September 8 City Council meeting, ASES funding applications are due in
November, and the district intends to apply. It is also likely that 21St CCLC funding will
City Council Meeting
September22, 2009
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be available next year. Both of these are sources of funding for before and after school
programs and extended day care. However, it is up to interested agencies to submit an
application and meet grant requirements.
Secondly, the Garvey School District rents facilities to a variety of agencies, including
"for-profit" childcare groups. In so doing, parents have access to twelve other childcare
programs including language and cultural schools, tutoring programs, and leadership
academies and the district generates supplemental revenue. These programs are
independently run and are offered at varying costs to participants.
Lastly, on September 15, City staff met with eight representatives from a group
identifying itself as the SOS (Save our Safe Care) Committee. They expressed a desire
to seek funding from the city to ensure that the Safe Care Program remains operational
for the balance of the current school year.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process.
FISCAL IMPACT
There would be no additional costs for after-school recreation programs. However, no
funds have been budgeted for additional extended day care programs. Thus, a budget
amendment would be required to allocate funds from the undesignated balance of the
General Fund if such programs are approved. It is, though, recommended that
participant fees offset all operational expenses of any Day Camp programs.
David nt ery-Scott
Parks & e eation Director