The Saugus Union School District governing board reviewed a presentation about the schools’ child development programs fee structure for the next school year.
Currently the program is part of the expanded learning opportunity program, which provides after-school child care from dismissal until 6 p.m., after-school enrichment, and Saugus Summer STEAM Camp, according to the presentation included on the agenda.
Edwin Clement, assistant superintendent of education services, said that all 14 schools have an operating after-school child development program.
“Our goal is to provide a safe, supportive and fun learning environment while supporting work families until the end of the workday,” said Clement.
Compared to other Santa Clarita after-school programs, the district’s child development program prices are lower.
“Registration fees can range from $150 to $400 per student and we’re $50 per student and we do cap it at $100 if you do have multiple kids,” said Clement, referencing the presentation. “For a five-day program that is half-day, you can see the range is $30 to $62 a day, that estimates to about $162 to $250 a week. We’re currently at $20 a day, which is $100 a week.”
Pending the board’s approval at a future meeting, Clement said, the program wants to offer two options for the transitional kindergarteners and kindergarteners.
Option one would allow TK and kindergarten students to stay from 12:25 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and be $10 per day.
Option two would allow TK and kindergarten students to attend from 12:25 p.m. to 6 p.m. and be $32 per day.
The first grade through sixth grade program would be from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and cost $22 per day.
Nick Heinlein, assistant superintendent of business services, said that the projected program expenditures were broken up into the most costly for the district and the least costly.
Total expenditure for the most costly was a little over $7 million and the least costly would be $5.7 million, said Heinlein.
The projected program revenues were also separated into a “most optimistic” scenario where they have full enrollment in the program and a scenario where enrollment wasn’t completely full.
“We’re using 84.5% as worst-case scenario,” said Heinlein. “When we factor that math in and separate the programs, this potential TK/K transition program if it’s completely full it would bring in $1.8 million a year, or if it’s not, it would bring about $1.5 million.”
If the after-school care program is completely full and at $20 a day, it would bring in almost $6.2 million and if it is not completely full it would bring in $5.2 million, added Heinlein.
He said that, if the after-school program rate is increased from $20 to $22 per day, then it would put the district in a better financial position where it would not be at risk of a negative net increase.
Heinlein said that, to his knowledge, the child development program was always meant to pay for itself with the revenue it makes.
The board did not request any changes, and the item will be brought back for action at a future meeting.
