Survey of principals finds need for in-school care - before- and after-school supervision of kindergarten through 8th grade children

Children Today, May-June, 1990

Survey of Principals Finds Need for In-school Care

Although 84 percent of the 1,175 elementary and middle-school principals responding to a survey conducted by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) believe that children in their communities need supervision before and after school, only 22 percent say their schools offer such care. According to Dr. Samuel G. Sava, NAESP executive director, the findings indicate a vast gap between supply and demand for before- and after-school supervision of children in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Virtually two-thirds of the principals are ready to provide before- and after-school care if they are given adequate staff, money and authority, while 26 percent are reluctant to assume this added responsibility in their school buildings.

Despite such social changes as divorce and two-job families, Sava reports that 73 percent of principals believe that American parents care as much or even more about their children's education today than did parents of a decade ago. "In view of the enormous pressures that these societal changes place on our schools, that finding gives parents extra credit in any principal's book," he said.

The 1988 survey asked principals if they believe public schools should provide before- and after-school child care for students. Nearly two-thirds believed schools should, while 36 percent didn't agree that schools are so obligated. When asked why they believed schools should provide child care, 37 percent of proponents responded that children may perform better in school if they aren't left unsupervised for long periods of time out of school. A total of 33 percent believed that school buildings--where youngsters spend most of the day -- are the sensible places to keep them, while another 23 percent felt that other programs are unsatisfactory or nonexistent.

In their written comments, principals who favored school-sponsored child care said it would address urgent social needs involving changing family structures, demands on working parents, and child safety. Others explained that such programs would make fuller use of public buildings, that adequate care would work to the advantage of at-risk children, and that child care could be enhanced by drawing on the professional experience of educators in order to structure enriched programs.

On the other hand, those who would not provide child care even if they had the resources countered that child care is not the school's responsibility. While agreeing that children need better care, they believed management problems would outweigh benefits. Many felt inschool care programs should be provided in other community facilities, not in schools.

Principals reluctant to house care programs in their schools commented that their facilities are inadequate now; that child care is the parents' responsibility only; and that inadequate child care is a problem that should be dealt with by the whole community, not only by the schools. Some cautioned that schools already are overloaded with social responsibilities.

The 22 percent whose schools do house child care programs clearly agree that the peace of mind adults experience when children receive adequate care, in addition to the improved relations with the community, are the major payoffs. Few principasls mention children having fewer inschool difficulties as a result of the extra care, though many had predicted children's schoolwork would improve if they had better care.

Some 77 percent of principals whose schools house child care programs said the programs operate mainly to meet parental needs, and 65 percent indicated that parents foot the bill. For the most part, programs are offered after school and are recreational in nature. Though many principals who oppose care programs anticipated troublesome problems, most principals whose schools have programs report no major difficulties. Programs could be improved, they suggest, with better planning; improved facilities; more space; better staff training and pay; year-round schedules; longer hours for child care each day; subsidies for needy families; and more attention from parents.

Further information about the survey is available from the National Association of Elementary School Principals, 1615 Duke St., Alexandria, Va. 22314.