FUSD mulls rate hike for school-based child care

Jul 2, 2010 — The Arizona Daily Sun

Hillary Davis

Jul. 2, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- The before- and after-school FACTS child care program might cut services and begin charging families as much as 15 percent more.

Sylvia Johnson, the Flagstaff Unified School District's director of educational enrichment, told the governing board Tuesday program expenditures -- including staff compensation, supplies, and recently hiked state licensing fees -- have gone up 5 percent. But the program's income has dropped more than 20 percent as contributions from the city, the Department of Economic Security and family-paid tuition sank in the wake of the recession.

FACTS is not funded by the general district fund, and it ended the last school year more than $59,000 in the black. But Johnson said that surplus was only due to a much healthier 2008-09, when the carryover was $195,972.

Savings will be realized by the closure of South Beaver and Christensen elementaries. Additional savings could come from closing the small program offered at Leupp Public School and cutting back on staff hours, benefits and positions. Officials are considering closing on snow cancellation days (but not two-hour delay days), federal holidays, and winter and spring breaks.

And painfully, Johnson said, the program might raise its fees for the first time in six or seven years. The current hourly rate is $3 for a single child ($5 for two children and $7 for three or more). That could go up to $3.50 ($5.75 for two children and $8 for three and up). Scholarship options would remain intact, but the sliding scale co-pays could also increase moderately.

Thus, the weekly bill for a single child who spends up to 25 hours per week at FACTS at the full rate could climb from $75 to $87.50. Johnson did say that even with the proposed fee hike, FACTS is still below market value for child care, including subsidized programs offered by schools.

FACTS, which is limited to elementary students, served about 600 children last year. Sixth-graders, however, will still be able to attend FACTS programs next year even though they will be part of the middle school system. Sinagua sixth-graders will attend FACTS at Knoles, and Mount Elden sixth-graders will walk over to Puente de Hozho.

Johnson said this plan is only for after school. Middle school days begin earlier than elementary schools, but the district would work with families who still need before-school care for their sixth-graders.

FIRE OFFICIALS SHOW APPRECIATION

Schultz fire officials stopped by the governing board meeting Tuesday to thank administrators for letting them set up their incident command center on the playgrounds, in the cafeteria and even in classrooms at Cromer Elementary School.

Jim Clawson from the Southwest Incident Management Team presented the district with a trophy of appreciation and a colorful fire progression map showing the 15,000-plus-acre fire's might. Schultz lead public information officer Jim Payne added that the Internet connection at the Doney Park school was key to helping him do his job of sharing updates.

Cromer was temporarily home to up to 950 personnel who fought one of the biggest fires in recorded Flagstaff history. But it wasn't the only FUSD facility opened up in response to the recent fire crises: Mount Elden Middle School served as an emergency shelter for evacuees -- first from the Hardy fire that sparked just behind Little America on June 19, and then for the Schultz, which started the next day. Also, a well-attended community meeting on the Schultz was held in the Coconino High School auditorium.

Hillary Davis can be reached at hdavis@azdailysun.com or 556-2261.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0065-46660464