The end of free childcare in Harrison School District 2
KOAA 5
[{'start': '0.000', 'end': '4.000', 'text': 'In Harrison School District 2, many'}, {'start': '1.839', 'end': '5.759', 'text': 'families are facing a challenge as the'}, {'start': '4.000', 'end': '7.600', 'text': 'district announces the end of free'}, {'start': '5.759', 'end': '9.440', 'text': "before and after school care. I'm"}, {'start': '7.600', 'end': '11.679', 'text': 'Michelle Reyes and single mothers like'}, {'start': '9.440', 'end': '13.440', 'text': 'one I spoke with today who rely on the'}, {'start': '11.679', 'end': '16.720', 'text': 'program are now left searching for'}, {'start': '13.440', 'end': '19.279', 'text': "options. I'm like barely making it by to"}, {'start': '16.720', 'end': '20.640', 'text': 'be honest. Shaquin Smith has five kids.'}, {'start': '19.279', 'end': '22.320', 'text': 'Two of them have been in the free'}, {'start': '20.640', 'end': '24.240', 'text': 'afterchool program at Centennial'}, {'start': '22.320', 'end': '26.880', 'text': 'Elementary for more than a year. A'}, {'start': '24.240', 'end': '29.119', 'text': 'program she says made a big difference.'}, {'start': '26.880', 'end': '32.399', 'text': 'like I rely heavily on the community'}, {'start': '29.119', 'end': '36.320', 'text': "that I've built um and just resources"}, {'start': '32.399', 'end': '38.000', 'text': 'that are out there um and uh with a'}, {'start': '36.320', 'end': '40.239', 'text': 'whole lot of faith. For Shaquin, the'}, {'start': '38.000', 'end': '43.120', 'text': 'program offered structure and peace of'}, {'start': '40.239', 'end': '44.640', 'text': 'mind. They are my responsibility, but'}, {'start': '43.120', 'end': '48.480', 'text': 'having five of them doing everything'}, {'start': '44.640', 'end': '51.520', 'text': 'alone, free child care at the school was'}, {'start': '48.480', 'end': '53.120', 'text': "like golden because it's happening at"}, {'start': '51.520', 'end': '55.920', 'text': "their school. So, it's not that I just"}, {'start': '53.120', 'end': '57.600', 'text': 'have to go trust some random people like'}, {'start': '55.920', 'end': '59.280', 'text': "it's at a place they're familiar with."}, {'start': '57.600', 'end': '60.879', 'text': 'In early April, the district emailed'}, {'start': '59.280', 'end': '63.280', 'text': 'families to announce the program would'}, {'start': '60.879', 'end': '66.400', 'text': 'end in May due to funding cuts. I would'}, {'start': '63.280', 'end': '68.400', 'text': 'have rather known as soon as they did.'}, {'start': '66.400', 'end': '70.640', 'text': 'Um, like they said that the funding ran'}, {'start': '68.400', 'end': '72.560', 'text': 'out in January. The program was paid for'}, {'start': '70.640', 'end': '74.960', 'text': 'with federal co relief funding that was'}, {'start': '72.560', 'end': '76.560', 'text': 'earmarked for K through2 schools. That'}, {'start': '74.960', 'end': '79.040', 'text': 'funding administered through a fund'}, {'start': '76.560', 'end': '81.520', 'text': 'known as ESSER has now run out. We knew'}, {'start': '79.040', 'end': '84.000', 'text': 'it could only last as long as our ESR'}, {'start': '81.520', 'end': '86.560', 'text': 'money was there because it was a big'}, {'start': '84.000', 'end': '88.479', 'text': 'investment. Starting in 2021, the city'}, {'start': '86.560', 'end': '91.280', 'text': 'partnered with District 2 to offer care'}, {'start': '88.479', 'end': '93.280', 'text': 'at six schools. But the $1.6 million'}, {'start': '91.280', 'end': '95.280', 'text': "needed to continue it isn't in the"}, {'start': '93.280', 'end': '97.280', 'text': "district's budget. Today, D2 sent"}, {'start': '95.280', 'end': '99.360', 'text': 'another email to families, letting them'}, {'start': '97.280', 'end': '100.960', 'text': 'know that feebased care will be'}, {'start': '99.360', 'end': '102.960', 'text': 'available next school year. There will'}, {'start': '100.960', 'end': '104.479', 'text': 'be a sliding scale available, which is'}, {'start': '102.960', 'end': '106.000', 'text': 'very important for us. We really'}, {'start': '104.479', 'end': '107.759', 'text': 'advocated that it has to be reasonable'}, {'start': '106.000', 'end': '110.079', 'text': 'for a working-class family to afford'}, {'start': '107.759', 'end': '112.000', 'text': "these costs. Shaquan says she's worried"}, {'start': '110.079', 'end': '114.079', 'text': "the new feebased care won't be"}, {'start': '112.000', 'end': '116.399', 'text': "affordable for her family and that she's"}, {'start': '114.079', 'end': '119.920', 'text': 'now exploring school changes to simplify'}, {'start': '116.399', 'end': '122.719', 'text': "her daily routine. It's trying to find a"}, {'start': '119.920', 'end': '125.280', 'text': "school, whether it's within district 2"}, {'start': '122.719', 'end': '126.640', 'text': 'or not, that my kids can go to so I'}, {'start': '125.280', 'end': '129.679', 'text': "don't have to worry about three"}, {'start': '126.640', 'end': '133.760', 'text': 'different schools when pickups all the'}, {'start': '129.679', 'end': '133.760', 'text': 'same time. in Colorado Springs.'}]