Preserving An Exemption to Help Students, Families

by Neil O’Leary

Currently, the City of Waterbury has over 110,000 residents with approximately 19,000 school aged children served by over 30 Waterbury Public Schools and several private and religious based schools. Waterbury’s median income is below the State’s average. Free or reduced cost lunch is available to all students in Waterbury.

The City and the Public Schools strive to ensure that students are advancing grade level and set to graduate high school on time. While City-run after-school programs that provide safe after-school learning and activities, there are not enough spaces in those programs and, therefore, the City and the families rely on the numerous non-profit after-school programs available around the City. These private non-profit organizations offer safe, reliable and supportive programs to thousands of Waterbury students. These organizations are also supporting the City’s efforts to improve student performance and to curb youth violence and other risky behaviors. These private non-profit organizations in Waterbury would be adversely impacted by the day care license requirement potentially leaving too many of Waterbury’s youth with nowhere to go after school. The negative impact to Waterbury would be substantial.

“Requiring the after-school programs to become licensed under the day care licensing would result in organizations serving significantly less children, no longer serving teens or closing.”

After-school programs increase the opportunities for children and youth to succeed. Youth need additional academic support during after-school hours. Research indicates that afterschool programs not only keep children safe and out of trouble but also significantly improve academic achievement. Youth who spend 25-35 hours per week engaged in constructive learning activities during their out-of-school time show better achievement than their peers. The lack of affordable, educationally beneficial after-school opportunities for many youth, especially those in low-income urban communities, is a decisive factor in explaining the achievement gap. Additionally, after-school programs keep young people safe , help them prepare for their current and future lives and also help the families, especially those who are working.

Requiring the after-school programs to become licensed under the day care licensing would result in organizations serving significantly less children, no longer serving teens or closing. These after-school programs also allow parents to go to work with peace of mind that their children are safe. These after-school programs actually enable the parents to work. The regulations would add severe financial and administrative burdens onto these organizations. The financial burdens would also be added to the families as they have to pay more and face less after-school opportunities. The very vulnerable teen population would be left on their own, potentially on the streets and in trouble. And as Waterbury fights to curb crime, this outcome would hurt these efforts.

For the sake of Waterbury’s families, these organizations must be allowed to continue to provide safe, beneficial and educational after-school opportunities. I strongly urge you to reject the proposal of the Office of Early Childhood Education that would eliminate the afterschool exemption from day care licensing.

Neil O’Leary is the Mayor of Waterbury. This testimony was filed with the state legislature’s Education Committee in regards to House Bill 5216, An Act Concerning Eliminating the Licensure Exemption for Certain Organizations Providing Child Care Services. The bill, proposed by the State Office of Early Childhood, will be the subject of a public hearing on March 6.