78% of new applicants did not get into the after school program - 97% of surveyed families would participate in the after-school program (at least part-time) if more space was available.
There are currently more than 144 families on the wait list for the after school program - some families have been on the waitlist for more than 4 years.
Many of the after school programs do not serve children below grade three and all programs have long wait lists - families have no options available for after school care in Medford.
The waitlist for families in desperate need of after school care in Medford is 280% the size it was only 3 years ago. The problem is rapidly getting worse.
The program design serves all siblings of a few families over multiple years while being completely inaccessible to the majority of families.
The complexity of this issue requires a groundswell of support across school and public officials. Despite a growing urgency from parents advocating for change, there has been very little progress. The lack of accountability & transparency has led to dire outlook for families - many choosing private school or worse moving out of Medford.
