75¢ COLBY Friday March 31, 2017 Volume 128, Number 51 Serving Thomas County since 1888 10 pages FFREEREE PPRESSRESS Cutting up for college After school program now at risk By David Tan track. Colby Free Press Each after-school program must
[email protected] provide testing data for account- ability, Vaughn said. Last year, The federal 21st Century Com- standardized testing showed that munity Learning grant the Colby after-school program students After School program has re- received an average 90 percent applied for is in danger of being score in math and 98 percent of denied. the students were proficient at or After school director Kathy above grade level in reading. Vaughn said the grant helped A community survey in Feb- pay for the program when it first ruary showed Colby parents are started in 2013. She is looking for concerned about the possibilities support from the community to let of losing the program, Vaughn the federal government know ru- said. Some parents are concerned ral schools across the nation need that their child would have to go this grant. home due to the high cost of day- Vaughn said she reapplied for care and the lack of available day- the grant in early February and care in the area. won’t know until June whether Other parents said their child Colby will receive it. The money would have to go to their work- goes first to the Kansas State De- place, Vaughn said. They would partment of Education, which have to get off work early and it picks only 30 applicants to receive could hurt their family income.