The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to discontinue its VPK program at the end of the current school year while keeping fees unchanged for aftercare and summer camp programs, despite staff recommendations to raise rates.

• The decision came after city staff presented data showing the combined VPK, aftercare and summer camp operations at the Fort Walton Beach Recreation Center were losing approximately $100,000 annually. The VPK program currently serves four students.

City Manager Jason Davis told the council the program faces declining enrollment, a trend affecting VPK programs statewide as public schools have begun offering similar services.

Davis said staff explored recommendations from the Early Learning Coalition to address the financial losses, including expanding services to include extended hours, holiday care and specialized programs, but determined those changes would require additional staff with specialized training that the city cannot accommodate under current 3% operational constraints.

• The Early Learning Coalition offered to assist in relocating the four current VPK participants to other programs in the area.

Staff had proposed significant fee increases to address the financial shortfall, including raising weekly aftercare rates for city residents from the equivalent of $120 monthly to $100 weekly, and summer camp fees from $85 to $120 per week. The changes would have moved the city from monthly to weekly billing and added a $50 annual registration fee.

Multiple parents spoke against the proposed fee increases during the meeting, citing the program’s importance to working families and concerns about affordability.

• Parents emphasized that the program provides essential childcare for working families and praised staff members for creating a safe, family-like environment. One former student, Sophia Ortiz, told the council the programs provide support for students and families while offering a structured environment where children can continue learning outside the classroom.

The discussion occurred as Elliott Point Elementary School announced plans to offer its own childcare program called “Childcare at the Point.” According to promotional materials, the school will charge $40 per week for before-school care, $70 per week for after-school care, and $85 per week for full-time care. The program will operate from 6 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. before school and 2:20 p.m. to 6 p.m. after school, with afternoon snacks provided.

Davis expressed concern that the school’s program could draw away participants since many children in the city program attend Elliott Point.

Councilman David Schmidt initially moved to end the VPK program and work with the Early Learning Coalition to relocate the four students at the end of the school year. Councilman Ben Merrell made a substitute motion to end only the VPK program while maintaining current fee structures for aftercare and summer camp.

• “We look at money being spent sometimes as a loss. But I look at this as an investment into the kids, into what we’re doing,” Merrell said.

Councilman Logan Browning supported the motion, stating that recreation programs serve a different purpose than revenue generation. “Recreation’s not meant to make money. If it was, then we would charge citizens to utilize the rec center,” he said.

The program currently serves approximately 45 children, with 40 percent being city residents and 60 percent from outside city limits. The city charges different rates for residents and non-residents.

Davis said maintaining current fee levels while ending VPK could still reduce losses but acknowledged the program may not break even. He suggested the council could revisit the fee structure after the current school year ends. 

The four current VPK students will be able to complete the current school year in the city program.