Most people agree after-school programs are a good way to keep kids busy and out of trouble.
But there's often disagreement over who should pay for them.
That's been a subject of hot debate in Conway.
A program called Project Succeed aims to help at-risk elementary and middle school students.
Supporters say funding from the town would help serve more students.
But some townspeople argue parents should shoulder that responsibility.
NHPR's Trish Anderton reports.
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IT?S FOUR IN THE AFTERNOON.
THE PINE TREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CENTER CONWAY IS DONE WITH CLASSES.
BUT THE LIBRARY IS STILL HUMMING.
AT ONE TABLE, FOURTH GRADERS NICK AND DAN ARE WORKING TOGETHER.
THEY?VE GOT TO COMPLETE A WORKSHEET ON A BOOK BY NATIVE AMERICAN NOVELIST LOUISE ERDRICH.
11 15 what do we do for my thoughts. Put what you thought about it. Scary in parts. I put interesting and scary.
AT THE NEXT TABLE OVER, TEACHER LINDA SULLIVAN HELPS A BOY NAMED MITCHELL.
THEY?RE WORKING ON HIS MATH ASSIGNMENT.
a ticket to seattle costs 352 dollars and 90 cents. how much more does it cost to fly to dallas. // wanna try it? Ok, good
THIS IS PROJECT SUCCEED.
IT?S A PROGRAM AIMED AT GIVING CHILDREN CONSTRUCTIVE ACTIVITIES BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL.
HOMEWORK IS A KEY FOCUS.
PROJECT SUCEED PROVIDES A QUIET PLACE TO WORK AND TEACHERS AND AIDES TO HELP OUT.
IT ALSO APPLIES SOME GENTLE BRIBERY.
FINISH YOUR HOMEWORK, AND YOU CAN GO PLAY, OR USE THE COMPUTERS IN THE TECHNOLOGY LAB.
DOWN THE HALL IN THE CAFETERIA, YOUNGER KIDS ARE ALREADY PLAYING.
A CHESS MATCH BETWEEN SECOND-GRADER SAMMY AND FIRST-GRADER DANNY IS GETTING FEISTY.
15 130 die. Die, DIE!
OTHER STUDENTS CROWD AROUND AS SAMMY DELIVERS THE COUP DE GRACE.
16 57 check. It?s checkmate! He can?t move his king! Oh yeah. I win I win I win! He wins he wins he wins!
PROJECT SUCCEED BEGAN WITH A FEDERAL GRANT IN 1999.
IT?S OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS, BUT IT?S PARTICULARLY AIMED AT AT-RISK KIDS:
THOSE COULD BE CHILDREN WHO COME FROM LOW INCOME OR SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES.
OR MAYBE THEY ARE JUST STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL.
CHRIS THOMPSON DIRECTS THE PROGRAM.
SHE SAYS KIDS WHO DON?T KEEP UP WITH THEIR ASSIGNMENTS DON?T JUST FALL BEHIND.
THEY OFTEN DEVELOP BAD ATTITUDES TOWARD SCHOOL.
It might not come across as I feel bad I didn?t do my homework, it might come across as I hate school. I don?t like you. I don?t wanna be here. But if they feel that success comgin to school, they have their homework done, they?re ahead of the game, and that really does help.
IN A SURVEY LAST YEAR, TEACHERS AT PINE TREE REPORTED NEARLY 90-PERCENT OF PROJECT SUCCEED STUDENTS WERE DOING A BETTER JOB OF TURNING IN HOMEWORK ON TIME.
THEY ALSO NOTED BETTER BEHAVIOR IN THOSE STUDENTS.
PARENTS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
CATHY GRAY HAS A SIXTH GRADER IN PROJECT SUCCEED.
SHE SAYS IT?S REDUCED THE STRAIN OF HOMEWORK ON HER WHOLE FAMILY.
Her father and I work full time and its nice bc she gets a jumpstart on homework. Then when she comes home our whole night isn?t homework, we review but we also get quality time.
THE PROGRAM IS LARGELY FUNDED BY STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.
BUT PROJECT SUCCEED HAS ALSO TURNED TO CONWAY TAXPAYERS FOR SUPPORT.
SO FAR IT HAS FAILED TO GET ANY MONEY FROM THE TOWN.
FOR THE MOST PART, ITS CRITICS DON?T QUARREL WITH THE CONTENT OF THE PROGRAM.
THEY JUST DON?T THINK IT BELONGS IN THE TOWN BUDGET.
KAREN UMBERGER IS A SELECTMAN AND A MEMBER OF THE CONWAY BUDGET COMMITTEE.
26 37 I think it should be funded by the people who participate. I don?t think the taxpayers should have to support it.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER PAT SWETT AGREES.
SHE SAYS HAVING THE TOWN CHIP IN WOULD SIMPLY LET PARENTS OFF THE HOOK.
29 00 There?s a fine line here and how much shd the average taxpayer have to pick up? Until we put a foot down and tell parents its their responsibility and not the school system?s, they?re going to let the school system do it.
THE PROGRAM?S SUPPORTERS ARGUE IT SAVES MONEY BY KEEPING KIDS OUT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION?OR EVEN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
BUT PAT SWETT IS NOT CONVINCED.
29 100 I have been on the school board for seven years and I have learned Very quickly these surveys and what have you can show exactly what the presenter wants to show. People can get across what they want you to see.
SWETT FEARS IF THE TOWN BEGINS CHIPPING IN FOR THE PROGRAM, IT?LL ONLY GET BIGGER AND MORE EXPENSIVE.
PROJECT SUCCEED HAS ALREADY CUT ITS HOURS.
AND THE PROGRAM HAS ADOPTED A SLIDING-SCALE FEE IN RESPONSE TO CRITICS? CONCERNS.
BUT NO AMOUNT OF BUDGET-TRIMMING SEEMS TO RESOLVE THE CENTRAL QUESTION.
ARE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS A SENSIBLE INVESTMENT FOR TOWNS?
OR SHOULD PARENTS BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN ONCE THE SCHOOL DAY ENDS?
THAT?S UP TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE.
IN CONWAY THEY?LL HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO WEIGH IN NEXT MONTH AT TOWN MEETING.
(THE QUESTION OF TOWN FUNDING FOR PROJECT SUCEED IS ONE OF CONWAY?S WARRANT ARTICLES.)
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