State College Area School District will continue to operate its popular extended school day program in-house, a relief to dozens of parents who voiced concerns about it potentially being outsourced to a private third party.
The SCASD school board voted 8-0 on Monday to reject bids from two companies to replace Community Education Extended Learning (CEEL) program services.
“I think everybody pretty much had similar concerns about the ability of the two companies to meet the needs that we would need for them to take over the CEEL program,” said board member Aaron Miller, who attended proposal presentations to district staff and parents earlier this month by third-party providers Right at School and Champions.
CEEL fees will increase in 2024-25 as the district deals with growing enrollment in the program, rising costs and a move to becoming a state-licensed child care program after a protracted legal battle with the state Department of Human Services (DHS). Monthly fees will be $370, an increase of $75 from 2023-24 and summer program fees will be $250, an increase of $25.
Qualifying families are eligible for scholarships provided by the district and financial assistance from the state’s childcare subsidy program.
SCASD created the CEEL program more than a decade ago to provide district-operated academic offerings in before- and after-school and summer programs. It is offered at the district’s elementary schools and most locations have a waitlist.
For the past eight years, SCASD has been engaged in litigation with DHS, which claims CEEL amounts to an unlicensed child care program. The district contends the program is specifically authorized under Pennsylvania’s school code.
SCASD was initially successful in fighting cease-and-desist orders, but a series of appeals culminated with the Commonwealth Court finding in favor of DHS last year. The district is still pursuing an appeal to the state Supreme Court, but in late 2023 began the process to operate a licensed child care program.
Anticipating a need for modifications, the district issued a request for proposals to explore options for the program moving forward.
Since November, parents and guardians of CEEL students have expressed concerns about outsourcing the program to a private third party. At a Feb. 5 school board meeting, about two dozen voiced worries about a possible exodus of current CEEL staff, the track records of the two bidding companies in several other communities and the potential lack of one-on-one support for students with individualized education programs.
After reviewing the proposals, district administrators “determined that continuing the program in-house with modifications will best suit our families,” and recommended that the board reject the bids, according to a memo to Superintendent Curtis Johnson.
Heather Baruch-Bueter, speaking Monday on behalf of the concerned parents, thanked the board and district administrators for listening to their feedback, as well as CEEL teachers “for all the hard work that they put into the process,” and families who spoke out about the importance of the program.
“We advocated so strongly for the in-house CEEL program because of the educational and support value that it provides for our children and for the peace of mind that our families get by knowing that our kids are with trusted caregivers,” Baruch-Bueter said.
The group understands the need for a fee increase, Baruch-Bueter said, and hopes that the district will offer sufficient scholarships for families that cannot afford it.
Board President Amy Bader said the completion of licensing will also allow eligible families to use state child care funding.
“When we go through this process, we’ll be able to accept state subsidies once we’ve reached certification, so that will be another means that we can support families in need,
Bader said. “That will be really helpful because that will come from the state as opposed to a shuffling of our own budgetary money.”
Bader added that she appreciated the community discussion of the issue, and the work of administrators in addressing it.
“I think it was really important that any time we have an issue arise like this it behooves the district and the board to do our due diligence and explore all options and opportunities to make sure that we’re providing the best thing for the taxpayers and for the parents and children in our district,” Bader said. “I know the process was a little bumpy and uncomfortable for everybody involved but I appreciate everybody’s participation and that it moved forward in the way it did.”
