After school programs in Berkeley, specifically MX
Hello. Can anybody offer any current information about the available afterschool programs in Berkeley, specifically those that offer continuity for Malcom X TK and kindergarteners? I can’t find information about what the city of Berkeley programs at San Pablo and Willard offer, however, I know there are buses from MX. What are these programs? What do they offer? If your kid opts to do a PTA sponsored after school enrichment class, is there a later bus that takes them to the city programs afterwards?
Regarding Learns at MX, once you get in, are you guaranteed a spot every year thereafter if you apply? I understand that getting in often takes one or two years, but once you’re in, can you count on that program going forward assuming you apply at the earliest opportunity? Or is it that one year you get in and the next year you don’t ?
Generally speaking, what do working parents do if they don’t get Learns or Berkeley City aftercare for the TK/K years with the 1:30pm release? How do working parents handle the uncertainty until the summer when you know what programs you’re in/not?
Even if you have money to spend on aftercare, which I do, thankfully, it appears that there are just no guaranteed options with transport from MX. do parents just hire a nanny to like, take kids to a park for 3 hours after school?
the uncertainty and lack of options really makes me want to consider private school. And I definitely don’t want to worry about aftercare year after year, and have to hack together solutions every time.
Despite being enthusiastic to enter the public system, these dilemmas really give me pause about participating in the public system, at least for now, and make me understand why some parents choose private school if they can afford it.
And if anybody happens to know, why can’t we fund Learns properly, so it’s available for everyone who needs it, with that Berkeley tax measure that was passed for the schools?
Parent Replies
I have two kids at Malcolm X and can answer a few questions :
The city aftercare programs that bus from MX are currently Willard, Live Oak and San Pablo Park.
Learns - spots are limited and there is no guarantee for future years. In my opinion, it’s still worth trying to get a spot.
If you participate in a PTA class, there’s no late bus option to the city aftercare programs
My spouse and I both work full time and opted for a private aftercare option that has transportation from MX
Please feel free to send me a message if you would like to chat more!
Unfortunately, aftercare is a difficult process in Berkeley. We've been at MX since kindergarten and our kid is in 2nd grade now and we've yet to receive a spot in LEARNS. We managed to get a spot at the Live Oak program through City of Berkeley, which does bus from MX, and we've been there since kinder and are holding on to the spot for dear life since aftercare is so impacted.
If you do get into a City program, then you do get continuity. If you are offered a spot in LEARNS one year, you are NOT guaranteed continuity. I know families who were in LEARNS last year and then lost their spots this year due to staffing shortages and then were scrambling for aftercare for the first few weeks of school.
When families don't get aftercare due to the various issues, then it's a process of cobbling together whatever you can until you get something more stable. Our first week in kinder when we didn't have aftercare (we were counting on LEARNS, didn't get in, and then got a spot off the Live Oak waitlist a week after school started), we were able to handle having our kid at home while we worked, but that wouldn't have been sustainable. Some families do hire regular babysitters/nannies.
We know some families at MX who are in the San Pablo Park aftercare program, but they were not guaranteed bussing and had to organize walking groups to get the kids from school to aftercare. They managed to get spots on the bus later on. Families at the Willard program seem happy too and have bussing, I think.
If your kid is in a different aftercare program but takes a PTA enrichment class at MX, no, there is no later bus, you would have to pick up your kid after the class. I do this with our kid on Wednesdays but I'm fortunate to have a flexible schedule to accommodate this.
The City programs are solid, in my opinion. They have free play, arts and crafts, games, snacks, and really nice City employees who work year-round so we often see them at other City events and summer camps. We've been super grateful for the care offered at Live Oak for our kid the past 3 years.
I recommend going on the City's CivicRec portal to find out when aftercare enrollment opens. Enroll your kid/get on the waitlist for your City program of choice as soon as enrollment opens. You can still try for a spot in LEARNS and then you'll have a backup option if you don't get in (and you likely won't hear until the week before school starts, alas).
As for the questions about why aftercare is so difficult -- please share your feedback with the BUSD Board of Directors. I have, and so have other families, but I still get the impression that they don't truly understand how frustrating it is to navigate this system, especially in this City where cost of living is so high and both parents are working full-time.
I hope you don't let this change your decision about remaining in the public school. Malcolm X is wonderful and we're really happy to be there despite the aftercare frustrations. Happy to answer any questions.
My son (Kindergartener) goes to AfterSchool program at New School, and they bus from MX. He went to preschool there, and has many friends there, so I already was a fan - but the fact that they bus from MX and are open or have camps for almost all BUSD holidays makes them even more awesome. However - they are also twice the price of LEARNS, as are all other afterschool programs. Pros and cons!
You will likely get lots of similar responses on this subject: but lack of spots in LEARNS and CoB afterschool locations has been a dilemma in BUSD for years, made worse due to post-pandemic staffing issues. Search “afterschool” on Berkeleyside to find numerous articles.
The fact of the matter is that staff is hard to find and keep because the pay is low and the hours less than full-time.
When you are looking at CoB afterschool, make sure they offer bussing from MX. Some families get a spot but have to drive their kids there or carpool. Again, it’s a budgetary situation having to do with bus capacity and driver staffing. Best wishes, but yes, it is a struggle for many families every single year.
Great questions!
If others have better information on BUSD afterschool funding and how it could be improved, I'd be curious too.
Best of luck.