GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Doty Elementary School in Green Bay will lose its no-cost after-school childcare program this fall, transferring the cost of care from the school district's budget to families.
"This is not a decision we took lightly at all," Amy Fish, associate director of community partnerships and grants, said of the change.
Green Bay Area Public Schools operated 11 after-school programs across its sites last school year, and all programs were offered at no cost to parents.
On average, about 600 students attend those programs daily, Fish said.
Funding for those programs varies among the sites. Six are funded by a federal grant, while the rest are paid for from the district's community service fund.
Doty Elementary does not qualify for the federal grant because only Title I schools are eligible. Fish said school leaders are facing uncertainty about the future of that grant funding, and the district doesn't have the funds to sustain all its sites without those dollars.
That's part of the reason this fall, Doty's childcare program will shift to a parent-paid model, operated at the school by the YMCA.
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Fish said the transition comes with some benefits, including expanded enrollment capacity — a factor the district also considered as it navigates school consolidations.
Parents will also gain more flexibility in after-school pickup times through the Y program.
Five days of after-school care will cost YMCA members $63.25 per child per week. Non-members will pay $10 more per child per week, but families enrolling a second child will receive a $3 discount.
Fish emphasized that the district is committed to helping families navigate the change, including any financial barriers to the new program offering.
"We also have been trying to make contact with different businesses in the community who can support the YMCA and offset some of those sliding scale fees," said Fish, "as they offer sliding scale fees for families as well."
The school district typically applies for its grant funding in the fall. Fish said she is hopeful the money will be available for another five-year cycle so the district's schools can continue their grant-funded programs.
