Feb. 3 Board of Education Equity Committee meeting
Covered by Documenter Jackie Jantzi (see her notes here)
More than 4,300 of the 24,000-plus events in one of 47 Akron Community Learning Centers last year were held by local community organizations.
But now, a group composed of members of Mayor Shammas Malik’s administration, Akron Public Schools staffers, and people connected with the Youth Success Summit are working together to improve CLC rental policies and procedures for all interested organizations.
The group is working to “ensure that our CLCs truly fulfill their promise as welcoming community hubs,” Richelle Wardell, education strategist for Malik, said at the Akron Board of Education Equity Committee on Feb. 3. Others working on the policy updated joined Wardell at the meeting.
Community rental of CLC space is part of a collaboration between Akron Public Schools and the City of Akron as an extension of the city income tax that has helped pay to rebuild Akron schools since 2003.
Malik pledged during his first 100 days as mayor that his administration would continue to work with the district on improving access to the spaces in community learning centers.
Addressing extracurricular youth needs in CLC spaces
CLC rentals are not limited to youth-related events. However, the working group hopes the changes will increase availability of extracurricular programming for young people.
Denico Buckley-Knight, Akron’s youth opportunities strategist, noted during the meeting that wealthier families often have the means to invest in out-of-school programs. This creates an equity gap that leaves lower-income students at a disadvantage, he said.
The availability of CLC spaces can help bridge this gap and provide more opportunities for underserved youth. This is particularly true after school, on weekends, and in the summer, when young people are more vulnerable to risky behaviors.
Ellen McWilliams-Woods from Youth Success Summit shared data revealing a shift in the age distribution for summer programs. A former 13-year APS assistant superintendent, she said this highlighted the need for more opportunities for middle and high school students.
Additionally, mental health data for young people shows a mix of trends, with improvements in some areas, such as fewer suicide attempts, but also an increase in depression and rising needs among LGBTQ+ youth.
Rental fees waived for groups working with kids
The working group is still studying appropriate base rate rental fees. They plan to apply the fee in a three-tier structure:
- No charge for programming events by youth-serving nonprofits, events by APS and the city. Other organizations with partnership agreements in place with APS and the City of Akron will not be charged.
- A reduced base rate will be charged to other nonprofit programming events.
- The base rate fee will apply to all fundraising events held by nonprofits as well as all events run by for-profit organizations.
Renters must pay a $25 non-refundable registration fee. Officials will apply the fee toward the overall cost if the rental is approved.
Liability insurance required
Among other current and proposed requirements, groups looking to use CLC space for events will need to have liability insurance. The proposal calls for at least $1 million per incident and $3 million in total.
Renters must list Akron Public Schools and the City of Akron as additional insured parties, according to the draft. All renters must agree to a “hold harmless” agreement. Basically, the renter agrees to protect APS and/or the city from any legal claims that might arise from the renter’s use of CLC property.
Nonprofit organizations that regularly offer programming may already have similar coverage in place, but all potential CLC renters will need to verify their insurance information when they rent the space.
