Jefferson Parish Aftercare Fees Drop Enrollment by 900 Students
Three schools closed their programs after a 2025 fee hike made participation unaffordable for many low-income families.
By Robert Herrera ·
Approximately 900 fewer students in Jefferson Parish registered for the district's paid aftercare programs this year compared to the previous academic year. This 18% decline in preregistration corresponds to a 7% drop in actual attendance. For working parents who relied on these programs as a lower-cost alternative to private childcare, the change means fewer options for supervised time after the school day ends.
The reduction in participation follows a decision by the school board in March 2025 to raise the weekly fee for aftercare to $45 per child. The additional revenue was allocated to increase hourly wages for aftercare staff, a move intended to address a widespread worker shortage. District 6 representative Michael Pedalino proposed the increase, noting that some schools could not meet high demand without more workers.
The fee hike has resulted in three schools shutting down their aftercare programs entirely due to low participation. Estelle Elementary School and Terrytown Elementary discontinued their services, while Harry S. Truman Middle School struggled to relaunch its program after not offering it last year. Board members attributed these closures to families being unable to afford the new cost. District 5 representative Clay Moise, who opposed the fee increase, questioned where these children go after dismissal.
District spokesperson Kaela Lewis stated that Estelle's program became financially unsustainable after years of declining enrollment. She noted that Terrytown experienced inconsistent participation, while Truman faced similar challenges in attracting enough students to justify the program's operation. The district's data shows that about 65% of the 37 schools that offered aftercare last year saw declines in both registration and attendance this year.
Seven schools, including Airline Park Academy in Metairie, reported increases in enrollment and attendance. Another six schools saw a mix of rising and falling numbers. Pedalino maintained that the fee increase was necessary to stabilize staffing levels. He argued that inaction was not an option because some programs risked closing if they could not attract more employees.
The decline in aftercare participation may be compounded by a broader drop in district enrollment. Jefferson Parish Schools lost more than 2,000 students between 2024 and 2025. The three schools that closed their aftercare programs have high concentrations of economically disadvantaged students, with percentages ranging from 86% to 90%, which exceeds the district average of 77%.
Chad Nugent, the District 8 representative who voted in favor of the fee increase, described the enrollment drops as a temporary setback. He suggested that families will adjust their budgets over time and return to the programs if no further cost increases are imposed. The district now faces the challenge of balancing staff compensation with family affordability while trying to retain students in the public system.
