Phoenix has extra money to expand its after school programs, but the Parks and Recreation Department doesn't have enough people to staff them.
The program is called the Phoenix Afterschool Center, or PAC for short. Part-time employees oversee organized activities for 6- to 13-year-olds at their schools. Kids don’t leave school, the program is on-site and can run until 6 p.m. Fees range from $120 to $260 for the school year based on the school’s United States Department of Agriculture free and reduced lunch rate.
“We see that there’s like a huge need,” Councilwoman Betty Guardado said during December’s meeting of the community and cultural investment subcommittee.
The City Council approved using federal coronavirus relief funds to add PAC to 10 schools, but Parks Director Cynthia Aguilar said as schools apply, they’re put on a wait list.
“Unless they have employees, you know, already available to them such as teachers or parents who are willing to work for us to provide the PAC program,” she said.
Aguilar said the priority is to clear wait lists at eight of the existing 33 sites, and they need to hire about 50 people.
Guardado suggested she and other council members could help connect the parks department with universities and community colleges, “where there’s like maybe students that are studying to be teachers and they need some experience or some hands-on training.”
Phoenix also earmarked $2.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act for schools that want to provide their own programs.
