Development And Assessment Of An After-School Care Program In A Large Urban School District (latchkey, Day Care; Florida)

Background. National economics have severely impacted society through increasing single parent households and two-party working parents. These societal phenomena and complexities of a large school district created the climate for implementing a district-wide After-School Care Program.Purposes. The purposes of this study were to document the development of the After-School Care Program of the Dade County School District and to assess the extent to which there was agreement among its clients regarding goals, staff, program, supplies and facilities.Procedures. The documentation of the development and implementation of the After-School Program resulted from interviews with key personnel, review of minutes and records of the School Board, analysis of print and video coverage, and a survey of perceptions of persons associated with or impacted by the program.Findings. (1) There was agreement among clientele that the After-School Care Program had the goal of providing for the children of working parents. (2) There was overall agreement that acceptable levels of consistency were provided. (3) The After-School Care Programs did not reflect the racial/ethnic nor socio/economic composition of the sponsoring school district. (4) Respondents were in agreement that the fee was affordable. (5) All respondents agreed that after-school care was needed. (6) The quality of the After-School Care Program was judged to be of high caliber. (7) Physical space was seen as being adequate. (8) The quality of the staff was perceived to be of high caliber. (9) Supplies were perceived to be plentiful, appropriate and accessible. (10) After-School Care managers were described as being involved, hard-working, accessible and knowledgeable.Conclusions. (1) The genesis of planning for after-school care was in response to pressures in the external environment which set the tone for ad hoc decision-making. (2) Careful analysis of the experiences of other school districts might have avoided several pitfalls. (3) The After-School Care Programs received wide support from the Anglo and Hispanic segments of the school community. (4) Black families continue to be concerned with economic issues which precluded their children\u27s participation in self-supported after-school care programs. (5) The After-School Care Program appears to meet a generally felt need of providing for children of working parents