Enrollment in After-School Programs in PUSD Schools Increases By 48 Percent

The enrollment in afterschool programs being offered at Pasadena Unified School District sites increased by 896 students, Pasadena LEARNs Director Maria Toliver reported during the School Board  meeting on Thursday. 

“Since the inception of the [Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P)] our program enrollment in afterschool programs went from 1,841 to 2,737. That’s about almost a thousand students who have been added to expanded learning this past school semester.” 

“We’re excited about the growth. It’s been a great accomplishment in the span of a semester.” 

According to Toliver, the number is increasing with the spring semester as they increase staff to serve more families.

The ELO-P provides before school, afterschool, and summer enrichment programs for transitional kindergarten through sixth grade students (TK-6). 

The purpose of the program is to provide expanded learning opportunities and services for unduplicated pupils in grades TK-6 currently enrolled at PUSD schools. Unduplicated students are those students who are classified as English Language Learners, foster/homeless youth, or who qualify for free/reduced price meals based on household/family income.

To date, Toliver said there are approximately 400 students receiving tutoring after school and over 50 certified teachers are involved in the program. 

“The certificated teachers are working alongside their school day teachers creating learning plans for students and monitoring the students’ progress throughout the 6 weeks of this tutoring session.” 

According to Toliver Pasadena LEARNs is planning partnerships with other groups and adding more staff to be able to serve more students this summer.

“Currently our projected number of students to serve this summer amongst all of our providers is 4,700 and that number continues to grow as programs on board more staff and are able to provide more spaces.”

“We’re looking for future partnerships with the Boys and Girls club, YMCA, some summer partnerships with Harambe [Ministries].” 

Toliver said Pasadena LEARNs is currently working on a summer catalog containing all programs available for the upcoming summer semester. The catalog will be made available by early February. 

For more information about Pasadena LEARNs’ after school and summer programs, visit: https://www.pusd.us/learns