Huron Valley School district no longer offering "School Age Care" program
Some Huron Valley School District parents say they're now scrambling because the district isn't offering its School Age Care program.
The program allows elementary school students to arrive early and stay late to accommodate the schedules of working parents.
CBS News Detroit is getting answers behind why the district isn't making this program available this upcoming school year.
The Huron Valley School District says they're not offering their School Age Care program because not enough students enrolled in it. Those who expected it to be available say they're now scrambling to find an alternative solution.
"I think if two kids sign up or one should be enough," said Huron Valley School District parent Emily Riggio.
The district told me two HVS elementary schools offered the before- and after-school program last year, but not at the school Riggio's child attended.
"Not everybody has the privilege to drop your kid off at school every day. I have to be at work at a certain time in the morning, and I'm a single parent," Riggio said.
She said she was lucky enough to have another parent take her kids in while they waited for the bus last year, but when they came home, they were on their own.
"It's scary. Kids can get into anything. You can tell your kids not to do something, but kids are kids. They're going to do what they want," she said.
The district says none of its elementary schools reached the minimum enrollment of 26 students required to offer the program. They say they would need to use funds set aside for other programs if they tried to operate it with low enrollment.
Riggio said the only alternative before- and after-school care solution she could find wouldn't work for her family.
"They were only offering it to 4 different elementary schools in the area. Only one, I believe, within the Huron Valley District, and it's already full. Also, it's really expensive. When I priced it out, it would still cost somebody around $732 a month," Riggio said.
Riggio said it's frustrating to learn that part of this decision came down to finances, as parents who use the program already pay an additional fee to enroll their child.
