Title: AC7-Amendment 13 Recreation Funding for Middle School After-School Programs

Recommendation:

I recommend that the School Board approve Amendment #13 to the Agreement between Palm Beach County and the School Board of Palm Beach County for Funding of After School Recreation Programs, effective October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008, and authorize the Superintendent or designees to sign all related documents and contracts.

Description:

§         Beginning in FY95 and each subsequent school year, the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners has voted to award funding to the School District to expand or enhance recreational components of the Middle School After-School Programs.

o       In FY06, the funding was $340,000 for 34 middle schools.

o       In FY07, the funding was $350,000 for 35 middle schools.

o       In FY08, the funding will be $288,000 for 36 middle schools.

o       Each middle school will receive approximately $8,000.

§         The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department has developed quality, creative and high interest recreational modules for middle school students.  The funding from the County Commissioners is used to purchase these modules.  This unique partnership has afforded our after-school program and students with such varied recreation opportunities; such as, computer building, animation, digital arts and video game design, drumming, fencing, karate, pottery, various types of dance, forensic science, etiquette, tennis, the Brain Game, flag football and other sports, and Robotics to name a new.

§         According to a 2007 report by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL 2007), “youth who participate in after-school programs improve significantly in three major areas:  feelings and attitudes, indicators of behavioral adjustment, and school performance.”

§         Excerpt from the April 2007 After-school Alert Issue Brief, published by the National After-school Alliance. 

o       Young people face a number of dangers during the hours after school.

o       There are approximately 20 to 25 hours per week that children are out of school while most parents are at work, creating an after-school gap.

o       Self-care and boredom can increase the likelihood that a young person will experiment with drugs and alcohol by as much as 50 percent.  Youth tend to develop patterns of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use – or nonuse – from ages 12 to 15.

o       Teens who do not participate in after-school programs are nearly three times more likely to skip classes at school than teens who do participate.  They are three times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs, and also more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and engage in sexual activity than teens not in after-school programs.

o       After-school programs are a powerful antidote to youth crime.  They provide a safe haven that keeps kids away from violence.  They provide an alternative to gangs and street life, allowing kids to develop new skills and interact positively with peers.  They offer youth hope and opportunities, offsetting the sense of nihilism can cause youth to turn to crime.

§         The Department of Safe Schools will provide fiscal management of the funding.

Financial Impact:

The financial impact to the Special Revenue-Other Funds budget is an increase of $288,000.  These funds will be distributed to Middle School After-School Programs.  All grant-related expenditures and contracts are authorized for payment up to the amount of revenue.  There is no financial impact to the Operating Budget.

For Additional Information, contact:

Ann Killets (akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us)

Alison Adler

Attachments (list):
Data Panel Middle School After School(1).pdf
Legal Checklist Amendment 13.pdf
Amendment 13 Recreation Funding for MSAS.pdf