School Age Care Program Increasing Tuition Rates

A tuition increase going into place for Putnam County’s School Age Care program, due to inflation and staff raises.

Program Coordinator Krista Hamilton said the cost of many different items they use on a daily basis has increased over the last several years. Hamilton said she hopes the additional income will also allow them to add more employees to the program.

“We’ve also been able to increase the salary rate for our employees, and so this to help offset those costs,” Hamilton said. “The tuition is going to help cover the expenses occurred for that, and we’re able to pull in, get a little more employee pull with a higher pay rate.”

Hamilton said the decision came after a financial assessment showed a huge increase in the program’s expenses. The new rates include a $30 fee for weekly morning care, a $50 fee for weekly evening care, and a $56 fee for both.

She said the different levels of tuition they offer for different kinds of daycare will stay the same way they were before the price increase.

“Our tuition is based on what you enroll for,” Hamilton said. “So if you enroll for primarily morning care, you would pay one rate, or if you did before and after school you would have a different rate, or if you choose to do part-time there is a part-time rate as well.”

Hamilton said these changes will go into effect at the start of the upcoming school year. She said they chose the amounts for the new fees after conducting a price comparison with similar programs in the area.

“We have been able to stay either at or below the cost of comparable programs,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said an increase in the number of staff working in the program would also improve the ratio of adults to children within the daycare.