The South Pike School District is installing a pre-kindergarten program this fall. However, it may come at a price for parents in the form of a monthly fee.
School board trustees expressed concern regarding a proposed $275 monthly tuition fee proposed in the pre-K handbook, which was up for approval during Thursday’s board meeting.
Trustees eventually approved the handbook — fee included — with a 4-1 vote, acknowledging the issue would be examined further. Trustees Dr. Luke Lampton, Clara Conerly, Eva Andrews and Sam Hall voted to approve the handbook, and John Hilbert voted against the measure.
“When we first discussed this I didn’t know there would be a fee to attend,” Hilbert said.
Superintendent Dr. Estes Taplin said an advisory committee — made up of the curriculum director, principals and parents — compared several pre-K programs and day cares from the area.
Taplin said it’s not unusual for pre-K programs to have a fee, and many day cares have a much higher fee.
“It’s to align ourselves with what other places are doing. ... We felt like that would be the right approach,” he said.
The fee will include supplies like tissue and hand sanitizer, Taplin added.
Board president Lampton asked if the district could legally absorb the pre-K fees. Taplin said it could, but it wouldn’t be a wise financial move.
Hilbert still asserted the community is going to be displeased about the monthly tuition. He also was disappointed pre-K children will need to be dropped off and picked up by an adult, not taken by bus.
Transportation director Mike Scott said pre-K students are too little to ride the conventional buses. Children that age must have a seatbelt.
Children who ride the school buses must be tall enough that their feet touch the ground.
“It’s state-mandated,” he said.
Hilbert asked Taplin what will happen with the pre-K classes that do not fill up due to the tuition.
Taplin said that with only one class at Eva Gordon Lower Elementary and another at Osyka Elementary he’s not anticipating a lack of enrollment.
“I don’t see it being a problem,” he said. “The problem I see is we’re going to have a (waiting) list.”
Taplin said he’s reviewing the handbook early because the district needs to start contacting parents, and the handbook is necessary to begin that process. Lampton suggested the board accept the handbook due to the timeframe then discuss the tuition issue further.
“Let’s go ahead and approve it with the caveat that we look again,” he said. “I kind of would like ... the tuition as low as we can get away with.”
