Dropping the Kids Zone program would cost the City of Manteca $100,000 it uses to subsidize other youth recreation programs.
That means the parents of the 255 children enrolled in the program are paying at least $392 more a year than the actual cost of running the program as it exists today. It translates into a 34 per cent margin based on a child being enrolled for 10 months at a $115 a month.
Without Kids Zone and its annual “profits” the city puts into other recreation endeavors, about 40 percent of other fee-based programs would have to be dropped.
A report by Assistant City Manager Karen McLaughlin shows that the embattled before and after school program is not only a moneymaker for the city but that it is indeed violating state laws requiring it to be treated and licensed as a day care provider.
The City Council during Tuesday’s 7 p.m., meeting at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St., is being presented by staff with three recommended courses of action:
• Pursue licensing through the State of California Department of Social Services. It would require $6,000 for licensing for the participating school sites and $2,700 to re-fingerprint the Kids Zone staff.
• Revise the Kids Zone programs to limit the number of hours any child could participate with a cap of 16 hours a week. Of the 255 youth participating in one or more of the city’s three Kids Zone-style programs, 45 participate in both the after and before school sessions. Capping participating at 16 hours a week would probably result in the elimination of the before school program.
• Eliminate the Kids Zone programs altogether. In doing so staff noted that they would have to conduct an analysis of other recreation offerings that would also need to be dropped due to the loss of $100,000 in annual income.
The Kids Zone debate was triggered by private day care providers in Manteca who contend that the city was not only competing against a private business but they were doing so in violation of state laws and without the state-enforced safeguards in place.
In researching the state law, the city discovered they were wrong in assuming that each of the three separate Kids Zone style programs was subject to separate 16 hour a week maximum participation by a child. That would have exempted the city from day car licensing had it been a correct read of the law.
Voters in 2002 passed Proposition 49 that established the After School Education and Safety Program. It provided for license-exempt after school programs that allowed individual children to participate up to 30 hours a week, But to be eligible for the program the city would have to operate the program with a grant through the California Department of Education and provide at least 50 percent in matching funds or in-kind support. The city does not participate in the state program because they are self sustaining.
McLaughlin notes the city already meets much of the state criteria including fingerprinting all Kids Zone employees, tuberculosis testing of all Kids Zone employees, and has a ratio of one teacher for every 14 children with additional teachers or aides when need to keep the ratio in line.
The state requirement that staff have a minimum of 12 Early Childhood Education credits appears to be the biggest snafu. McLaughlin said some of the staff does have ECE credits but it is unclear of how many Kids Zone employees meet the requirement.
McLaughlin said the state has assured the city as long as the current staff makes a concerted effort to obtain ECE credits and does so within a year the state will not slap Manteca with any penalties.
She also cleared up questions regarding staffing noting the nine teen volunteers registered in the City’s Junior Recreation Leaders programs do work with the youth but they are not counted as part of the one teacher or aide ratio to 14 children.
The report noted the Kids Zone fees cover “all costs” associated with the programs including salaries, supplies, equipment, furniture, snacks and training materials. The Kids Zone programs generated $296,710.95 in 2009-10 fiscal year with direct expenses being $179,464.40.
Direct expenses do not include administrative overhead such as a portion of salaries and benefits for the department manager and other staff that do work associated with the program including the processing of payments.
The report does not mention paying Manteca Unified School District for the use of the facilities. The school district charges non-profits facilities fees that cover custodian, utilities, administrative, and other costs.
The general fund subsidizes other fee-based recreation programs ranging from guitar classes to tiny tot baseball with $200,000 a year from the distressed general fund.
McLaughlin noted without the Kids zone program about 40 percent of other recreation programs would need to be dropped.
She noted that when staff evaluates fees of various programs they try to gauge the threshold individuals would pay for a program versus the total cost of the program. Some programs generate adequate revenue to cover costs while others don’t. Increasing the fees in many programs would decrease participation significantly and make them even more unviable financially.
McLaughlin said the city plans to review its fee structure over the next 12 to 18 months.
Kids Zone employs 30 part-time staffers with an annual payroll of $16,000. There is also one paid staff worker who oversees the program along with other recreation offerings.
The report notes the precedent for government involvement in providing and supporting after school programs was passage of Proposition 49 in 2002.
It was supported by 58 percent of the voters in San Joaquin County.
The report notes there are 151 licensed day care facilities in Manteca with a capacity to care for 1,805 kids.
The 2009 census shows there are 5,599 children between the ages of 5 and 9 living in Manteca. Assuming all children needed day care, there is short fall of available space for 3,794 children.
There are 9,600 students on campuses within the city that attend Manteca Unified School District schools. That means Kids Zone serves about 3 percent of the school district’s base in Manteca.
That means the parents of the 255 children enrolled in the program are paying at least $392 more a year than the actual cost of running the program as it exists today. It translates into a 34 per cent margin based on a child being enrolled for 10 months at a $115 a month.
Without Kids Zone and its annual “profits” the city puts into other recreation endeavors, about 40 percent of other fee-based programs would have to be dropped.
A report by Assistant City Manager Karen McLaughlin shows that the embattled before and after school program is not only a moneymaker for the city but that it is indeed violating state laws requiring it to be treated and licensed as a day care provider.
The City Council during Tuesday’s 7 p.m., meeting at the Civic Center, 1001 W. Center St., is being presented by staff with three recommended courses of action:
• Pursue licensing through the State of California Department of Social Services. It would require $6,000 for licensing for the participating school sites and $2,700 to re-fingerprint the Kids Zone staff.
• Revise the Kids Zone programs to limit the number of hours any child could participate with a cap of 16 hours a week. Of the 255 youth participating in one or more of the city’s three Kids Zone-style programs, 45 participate in both the after and before school sessions. Capping participating at 16 hours a week would probably result in the elimination of the before school program.
• Eliminate the Kids Zone programs altogether. In doing so staff noted that they would have to conduct an analysis of other recreation offerings that would also need to be dropped due to the loss of $100,000 in annual income.
The Kids Zone debate was triggered by private day care providers in Manteca who contend that the city was not only competing against a private business but they were doing so in violation of state laws and without the state-enforced safeguards in place.
In researching the state law, the city discovered they were wrong in assuming that each of the three separate Kids Zone style programs was subject to separate 16 hour a week maximum participation by a child. That would have exempted the city from day car licensing had it been a correct read of the law.
Voters in 2002 passed Proposition 49 that established the After School Education and Safety Program. It provided for license-exempt after school programs that allowed individual children to participate up to 30 hours a week, But to be eligible for the program the city would have to operate the program with a grant through the California Department of Education and provide at least 50 percent in matching funds or in-kind support. The city does not participate in the state program because they are self sustaining.
State won’t penalize city
The Department of Social Services has told the city it would take 90 days to complete the licensing of the nine Kids Zone sites and that there would not be a $200 a day penalty assessed as allowed by law for not being sufficiently licensed during the application process.McLaughlin notes the city already meets much of the state criteria including fingerprinting all Kids Zone employees, tuberculosis testing of all Kids Zone employees, and has a ratio of one teacher for every 14 children with additional teachers or aides when need to keep the ratio in line.
The state requirement that staff have a minimum of 12 Early Childhood Education credits appears to be the biggest snafu. McLaughlin said some of the staff does have ECE credits but it is unclear of how many Kids Zone employees meet the requirement.
McLaughlin said the state has assured the city as long as the current staff makes a concerted effort to obtain ECE credits and does so within a year the state will not slap Manteca with any penalties.
She also cleared up questions regarding staffing noting the nine teen volunteers registered in the City’s Junior Recreation Leaders programs do work with the youth but they are not counted as part of the one teacher or aide ratio to 14 children.
The report noted the Kids Zone fees cover “all costs” associated with the programs including salaries, supplies, equipment, furniture, snacks and training materials. The Kids Zone programs generated $296,710.95 in 2009-10 fiscal year with direct expenses being $179,464.40.
Direct expenses do not include administrative overhead such as a portion of salaries and benefits for the department manager and other staff that do work associated with the program including the processing of payments.
The report does not mention paying Manteca Unified School District for the use of the facilities. The school district charges non-profits facilities fees that cover custodian, utilities, administrative, and other costs.
Cut Kids Zone & 40% of other recreation programs would need to go
The city averages $100,000 plus a year in revenue from Kids Zone programs. Last fiscal year it was $117,256.56.The general fund subsidizes other fee-based recreation programs ranging from guitar classes to tiny tot baseball with $200,000 a year from the distressed general fund.
McLaughlin noted without the Kids zone program about 40 percent of other recreation programs would need to be dropped.
She noted that when staff evaluates fees of various programs they try to gauge the threshold individuals would pay for a program versus the total cost of the program. Some programs generate adequate revenue to cover costs while others don’t. Increasing the fees in many programs would decrease participation significantly and make them even more unviable financially.
McLaughlin said the city plans to review its fee structure over the next 12 to 18 months.
Kids Zone employs 30 part-time staffers with an annual payroll of $16,000. There is also one paid staff worker who oversees the program along with other recreation offerings.
Kids Zone no different than other rec offerings
McLaughlin noted Kids Zone is no different than other recreation offerings when it operates in an area that collides with the private sector. She noted that is also the case with rec programs such as karate, dance lessons, basketball camps, swim lessons and others.The report notes the precedent for government involvement in providing and supporting after school programs was passage of Proposition 49 in 2002.
It was supported by 58 percent of the voters in San Joaquin County.
The report notes there are 151 licensed day care facilities in Manteca with a capacity to care for 1,805 kids.
The 2009 census shows there are 5,599 children between the ages of 5 and 9 living in Manteca. Assuming all children needed day care, there is short fall of available space for 3,794 children.
There are 9,600 students on campuses within the city that attend Manteca Unified School District schools. That means Kids Zone serves about 3 percent of the school district’s base in Manteca.