To Sacramento City Unified School District Board Members,

We, parents and teachers of SCUSD students, are writing in strong support of the before and after school fee-based programs through the Sacramento City Unified School District.

We were first notified of a proposal to potentially cut these programs, including Theodore Judah Children’s Center, on March 21, 2019 via a robocall voicemail from Jacquie Bonini or by an email from the district.

The Sacramento City Unified School District $35 million budget deficit is devastating, and it is evident that cost savings and realignment of money needs to happen for the survival of the school district. In the process of making these necessary changes, we plead that these fee-based programs do not take the hit.

Parents pay a substantial fee for enrollment in these school-based programs that are vital for children of working parents. Across four schools in the SCUSD, the role these programs play is crucial for our communities. With additional time and thought on this issue, we believe a solution to make these programs self-sustaining, while not significantly impacting cost to parents, is possible. In order to do so, transparency about the subsidy provided by district funds to support these programs is needed. We are aware that leadership at Theodore Judah has provided a proposal to increase the operating budget, with minor, yet impactful, changes. Based on known costs, this proposal illustrates how this program could continue to operate.

The before and after school care programs available to working parents in Sacramento are few and far between. Of the programs available, the Children’s Center provides high quality care, and is an integral part of our children’s growth and education. Our outstanding teachers, Mrs. Judi Arnold and Ms. Unyque, foster the continued education and development of our children outside of the classroom.

We urge you to seriously consider the impact this will have on many parents, students, teachers, and our community as a whole.

Respectfully,

Concerned SCUSD community members