Gilroy – The infant/toddler program at Gavilan College eeked out new life Tuesday night at the board of trustees meeting after members tabled the item, instead of terminating it.
The program was scheduled to close July 29, but has been given an additional month while the board discusses new options to keep it open.
The decision came in light of new information regarding the ratio of teachers to children required by the state and the amount in salary that would be saved in response to changes to the ratio.
“This program is more than a daycare center for me,” Lisa Castaneda told board members, her voice wavering. “If this program closes the door on my son – it will affect the rest of my family.”
Castaneda is a Gavilan student and mother of seven who relies on the infant/toddler program to care for her infant son Nathanial while she attends class.
Three of her other children are enrolled in the pre–school program on campus and will have to be pulled should the infant/toddler program be slashed from the budget.
“They feel safe and stable here,” Castaneda explained. “They have established a bond with the teachers.”
Members of the Associated Student Body reminded the board that the program is a student service, which may affect many Gavilan students if it shuts down.
Kim Sullivan, another mother enrolled in the infant/toddler program, pleaded with Gavilan trustees to reconsider shutting down the program and give the parents two years to turn the service around.
“I know that there are four (infant) facilities in Gilroy,” Sullivan said. “(But) they all have waiting lists. Even if you did close (the infant/toddler) program we have no place to go.”
The infant/toddler program has been running a deficit and the college has been picking up the tab for several years. Originally, state funding covered the cost of the program. But as staff salaries increased and the ratio requiring a specific number of caregivers in the room remained one to three – the cost of running the program dipped into the school’s general fund.
The infant/toddler program is fee–based and costs $1,040 per month for every infant in the program. Toddler enrollment is $988. Students are subsidized if they qualify for state help.
When Gavilan received Title V funding from the state, one caregiver for every three infants was required. However, since Gavilan is now a fee–based program, it uses the ratio required for licensing, which is one to four.
Board members will discuss the possibility of further extending the program even further at the Aug. 9 meeting.
“Your phone calls will not go ignored,” trustee Laura Smith told parents.
“It’s not the fact that it’s not a good program,” Alonzo explained. “It’s if we can afford it.”
President Steve Kinsella agreed.
“No one has an interest in eliminating this,” he said. “It’s a matter of balancing costs.”
