Nancy Pelletier, owner of ABC Childcare, will once again challenge the St. Michael-Albertville School District's preschool and pre-kindergartn program, Just4Kids, when she approaches the St. Michael-Albertville School Board at tonight's final meeting of 2012.
The meeting, set for 7 p.m. at St. Michael-Albertville Middle School West (use Door A), will be held in the board's meeting room.
Pelletier told the Crow River News last week that she's concerned the Just4Kids program is driving away private business in the community, contributing to her drop in enrollment for 4 and 5-year-old children and probably shutting down Especially for Kids in the Albertville business sector.
In that vein, she's reprisng her argument that school districts should not be in competition with private sector businesses when it comes to providing childcare.
In his rebuttal, Dr. James Behle told the newspaper "most" surrounding school districts offer some sort of Pre-K programming, as do private schools such as St. Michael Catholic School (which opened its preschool in the home of two former small businesses this year) and Salem Lutheran School in Hanover.
A quick look at the area shows Monticello offers KC Preschool and Buffalo School District offers Little Kid Kare, both organized through community education offices in those districts.
Behle told the newspaper he believes a drop in the number of 4 and 5-year-old kids, according districtwide census data, could be the culprit for the drop in local preschool enrollments.
The board rejected Pelletier's request to end its program back in 2009.
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It would be nice if people had a clue what markets/competition (aka Capitalism) meant. There is no level playing field between ABC and Just4Kids, and suggesting ABC somehow be more competitive suggests ignorance. PLEASE try to understand that a center that pays no rent for the space it uses, has no insurance costs, and gets free custodial use is NOT on an even playing field with a center that has all of these costs and has to reflect the higher costs in the fee parents are charged. Given the current economy and struggling families, it makes complete sense that people would move to a center that costs less, even if just a little. This hurts ABC and home daycares in the area. Even though I don't have need for childcare (all are school-aged) I think it's important to point these things out. I'm disappointed to see the school offering a service in direct competition with local private businesses but using taxpayer dollars to ensure the cost is lower than what local businesses can afford to charge. The STMA school board members aren't stupid; they know they are skirting the edge of truth at best in their arguments with Nancy Pelletier. Let's be honest and admit it.
While the benefits of the J4Kids program may be laudable -- the better solution would be to take this in house, determine the requirements of the program and competitively bid it out to the private sector. The district isnt playing fair as it gets to use taxpayer financed buildings, staff and resources and private business would have to do it all on it's own You people who are saying private business needs to be competitive need to understand it's not a level playing field.
1) Is ABC a standalone business that gets special taxpayer funded anything? 2) Does ABC pay federal, state, property taxes? Does the J4Kids program pay federal, state and property taxes? 3) Why isnt the J4Kids program being run (wherever it is run) by a private entity? 4) What is the proper role of government?
ABC Childcare costs $170 a week, includes lunch and 10 hours a day of care. Just4kids costs $175 which does not include lunch costs. So I am confused as to how the cost is hurting centers?