SD10 - Report of the School Boards of Arlington County and the City of Falls Church on the Educational Effectiveness and Cost of the Extended Day Program

  • Published: 1989
  • Author: Arlington County School Board and City of Falls Church School Board
  • Enabling Authority: (, 1984)

Executive Summary:
INTRODUCTION

The Extended Day Program of the Arlington Public Schools provides programming for elementary school students outside the regular school hours. The program serves Arlington County students enrolled in public and private elementary schools. It operates on the school calendar year on all days that school is in session for students including early release days. There are four program sessions: before school, before kindergarten (before the afternoon kindergarten session), after kindergarten (after the morning kindergarten session), and after school.

The extended hours programming meets the needs of the high percentage of Arlington County's two-parent and single parent working families by providing this program at the school the child is attending (74% of Arlington's mothers of school-agers are in the workforce.) In the school year 1987-88, 40% of the students enrolled in Arlington's Extended Day programs were living in single-parented households. Additionally, the increasing need for these programs in Arlington County is reflected in the continued growth in the enrollment in this program, as well as the opening of 5 new programs sponsored by private schools - programs which currently serve 358 students.

The Extended Day programs provide safe, supervised, quality activities which are designed to meet the needs of each age and stage of development and are offered in an atmosphere of support and trust.

HISTORY

The Arlington Public Schools Extended Day Program is in its 20th year of operation. In 1969, The Arlington Health and Welfare Council (the predecessor of the United Way) organized a community-wide Citizens' Committee for the Latch Key Child, recognizing the efforts of 3 elementary principals who worked independently in their respective communities to meet the needs of unsupervised elementary students. After the completion of a study to determine the need of supervised programs for elementary students, a pilot program was recommended and implemented in three elementary schools. The following year the program expanded to 3 additional schools. In 1988, the Program is operating in 19 buildings and in 1 special education center. The program serves 1806 elementary students (23% of our elementary enrollment.)

In December 1978, the Virginia Attorney General ruled, based on the "DILLON RULE," that Virginia School Boards do not have the authority to run such programs without permission of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1979, the General Assembly passed legislation allowing Arlington and Falls Church to continue their Extended Day Program through 1981.

The Virginia Division for Children (House Document No. 16, 1981) recommended that local school divisions should be given the option, when the need has been recognized by the local governing body, to provide programs for pupils before and after regular hours. Local-funds and/or parent fees should be used as primary sources for financing these programs.

The 1981 General Assembly passed legislation authorizing the continuation of the Arlington and Falls Church Programs until 1984. In 1984, Arlington and Falls Church reported to the General Assembly on the cost and educational effectiveness of the programs. Legislation authorizing the continuation of the programs by these two systems was introduced and passed in this session.