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Student Services and Federal Programs
Action Item
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DATE: Tuesday, June 12, 2007
TO: School Board Members
FROM: MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent
SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS
Combine School Age Child Care (SACC) Elementary Programs and Middle School Extended Day (MSED) Programs into a Single Program/Project, Hillsborough County Out-of-School Time (HOST) with a Single Funding Source; Increase Annual Family Registration, Weekly and Summer Program Fees Beginning 2007/08 School Year; and Increase Hourly Pay Rate for Elementary After-School Program-HOST employees (Student Services and Federal Programs Division)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The term “out-of-school time" program (OST program) refers to the broad range of programs available to children and youth attending elementary and middle school that take place outside the regular school day. These programs include before and after school as well as summer programs. They encompass programs that have such focuses as tutoring, recreation, arts, character education, literacy, service-learning, and general enrichment. Hillsborough County after-school programs provide community families with safe, supervised environments for student enrichment.
The school district has a long and ongoing history of successful out-of-school programs that effectively serve the needs of the community while promoting student achievement. Programs were initially perceived as child care services only. The request for, as well as the demand on these programs to provide quality academic enrichment, have dramatically increased since the programs’ inception seventeen years ago. No Child Left Behind introduced unprecedented emphasis on the after-school program’s role in academics.
The rationale for combining elementary and middle school programs into a single unit includes many factors. Both programs are operated by the district and aim to provide identical, age-appropriate services. Therefore, we need to provide services for both elementary and middle school programs from a single entity operating under the same guidelines. This will also build relationships between feeder schools and establish continuity between elementary and middle school programs, assisting a transition that is often difficult for students and families.
Escalating program expectations as well as the rising costs of living and doing business have inevitably resulted in a cost increase for opening and operating new sites. Fringe costs must be considered as well as recent pay raises for permanent employees. A minimal program fee increase is the best option for maintaining the quality and availability of after-school programs.
Elementary after-school program temporary employees have not received a pay increase since 2000. Current district programs are staffed with certified teachers, college students and seventeen or eighteen year old high school On- the-Job Training(OJT) HCPS students. Certified teachers received a pay increase in 2005, due to the desire to enhance the academic focus during the elementary after- school programs.
Middle School Programs are staffed with certified teachers due to their availability at dismissal, as compared to the elementary sites where a teacher’s contract time goes beyond student dismissal.
ANNUAL DISTRICT GOAL(S) AND CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S)
All district goals and critical success factors.
FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes)
All funding for these positions will be provided by the fee-based After-School Programs.
EVALUATION
Parent and Student Satisfaction Surveys will be among the tools used for evaluation. Surveys will employ a Likert scale, which asks respondents to specify their level of agreement to a statement. A potential sample question from the parent survey: I am satisfied with my child’s level of homework completion following the after school program. Managers will conduct monthly site visits to observe and document the level to which programs are meeting expectations outlined by the school district.
SUBMITTED BY:
Beverly Wickson, Ed. D.
Director, Early Childhood and After School Programs
(813) 744-8941
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Gwendolyn L. Luney
Assistant Superintendent, Student Services & Federal Programs
(813) 272-4879
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2.03
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Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20070612_246 * Section E Item# 2.03
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