Lack of aftercare in 49% of PG public elementary schools

[Anonymous]

Did you know that out of 131 elementary schools in PG, 64 have no before and aftercare available. That’s 49%!! (http://schools.pgcps.org/) That means that if there are at least 200 kids in each of those schools 12,800 kids have not aftercare available. Besides that more programs are falling apart because they cannot meet the minimum criteria to operate set by PG school system.

These are the reason as far as I’ve been able to find out…..
As the only school system administered school age child care program in Maryland, it is the goal of the Prince George’s County Public School System to provide a safe, enriching environment for Prince George’s County elementary school students. All sites require a minimum of 45 registrations to begin operations. (http://www1.pgcps.org/beforeandafterschoolelp/index.aspx?id=10042)

Per my emails with the administration as to why smaller programs can not be set up….
(Dr. Hite) We developed a Request for Proposal (RFP) for sites that were already closed or in the process of being closed by PGCPS BASELP for low enrollment. A vendor, Springboard, was selected and began operating four sites in January 2011…Enrollments must stay above 45 students to be financially viable.

(Dr. Whitehead) There was an RFP process for vendors to be accepted to do Before and Aftercare in the County. Those proposals were awarded. In the event we
do another RFP other vendors are welcome to apply. We cannot accept vendors at random. We do have vendors that are working with smaller programs. If a school community wishes to establish a program they talk to our Before and Aftercare and they will be referred to the appropriate vendor. Programs are established as a community/school has a desire for one and they must be licensed for a certain capacity……..The vendors were and will not be assigned sites based on 45. The first RFP was for four sites and the vendor is SPringBoard and the last RFP was for specialty programs with no existing programs (AlphaBest). We have no other vendors and no other RFPs proposed. Before and After Care is able to maintain all current sites. Have a wonderful Day. If you have any additional questions about the vendors or the RFP process, Ms. Brenda Allen in purchasing is happy to assist.

Did you know..
-Although Montgomery County Public Schools do not have a county run before and aftercare program they have several highly praised programs permitted to run before and aftercare in the public elementary schools.
-There is an ongoing open bid process in Montgomery County when a school is in need of a before and after school program.

Example: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/cupf/info/childcare.asp#childcareintro
• NOTICE
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
Before and After-School Childcare Services
• Montgomery County Government’s Office of Community Use of Public Facilities seeks applications from qualified organizations, businesses or individuals to provide licensed before and after-school childcare services in a Montgomery County Public School (ES#29) to open for the 2012-2013 school year at 2600 Hayden Dr., Silver Spring, MD, the former site of:

-These programs are able to scale up and down staffing levels according to the demand in individual schools.
Examples:
Academy Child Development Center, Inc.: currently in 6 montgomery county public schools, requires a minimum 20 kids to start a program
Kidsco: currently in 16 montgomery public elementary, requires a minimum of 12 kids to start a program

Personally I think if it’s good enough for Montgomery parents its good enough for us!!!

[Anonymous]

There is an alternative. Do what many other Maryland families do and get your kids into a DCPS school.

[Anonymous]

I've heard people say thats what they did. That's fine for families that work downtown but for people who live and work outside the city its not really a viable option. Its a bit extreme considering there is no reason except school system backwards policies that the local elementary school can't have a program.

[Anonymous]

Prince Georges was going to fund a program, but Jack and Leslie Johnson took all the funds and she stuffed them into her underwear!

[Anonymous]

Before and aftercare is a service paid for by working parents so it is completely unrelated to the school or county budget.