by David Hill
Editor
LatchKey rates in Thief River Falls will be switching from an hourly rate to a session rate starting the 2024 school year. Monday, April 22, the Board of Education for School District 564, Thief River Falls, approved the change following an update from Meg Kolden, director of the Community Education Department.
LatchKey is a school-age child care program designed to provide quality care and program activities for children in grades K-5. The program provides educational, recreational and social activities to promote learning and development with a minimum of formal structure. They try to be flexible enough to meet the needs of all children.
The change from an hourly rate to a session rate will result in a cost increase, but it still remains lower than other rates. Starting in the fall of 2024, the rate for morning LatchKey will be $6, and $12 for afternoon LatchKey.
First Children’s Finance performed a market study of the LatchKey program. Kolden said they recommended that based on the rates in surrounding communities and current child care assistance program reimbursement rates in the county, the rate should be within 75% of the market rate.
The LatchKey program was charging an hourly rate. According to the study, it’s one of only a few programs left in the region that charges an hourly rate. The study also showed that other programs are or will be charging higher rates by the fall. Discovery Place charges $5 for a morning session and $10 for an afternoon program, but it is expected to increase prices this summer. St. Bernard’s will be charging $14 for afternoon care. It has no morning care. East Grand Forks charges by the month only, and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton charges $6 and $10, but will also be increasing rates for next fall. Home daycares in the county are charging between $10 and $15 for after-school care.
It appears that the shift from an hourly rate to a session fee provides parents with predictable and consistent childcare costs, and eliminates the need for providers to track and calculate hourly rates.
Kolden’s update reported that 60 children registered for the morning session. It averages about 35 per day. The afternoon session has 142 students registered and 90 attending on average.
Kolden said they anticipate an increase in LatchKey attendance next fall when the 2-mile bus rule is implemented. Kolden said she’s working with the principal of Challenger Elementary School to try to anticipate some of the challenges they may face. Some of those challenges might come from parents dropping students off at the school before school doors open and not enrolling students in LatchKey.
Kolden said they also anticipate adding LatchKey before school care for students enrolled in Prowler Preschool as well as after-school care.
Summer registration for LatchKey started on Friday, April 19. Kolden said they will keep the summer rates the same as last year.