City Daycare Programs To Close

EL PASO, TX – City officials have reconsidered their involvement in the business of providing child care and have opted to discontinue programs that offer low-cost daycare to local families.

By Aug. 31 of next year, parents who currently enroll their children in daycare programs sponsored by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department will have to seek that service elsewhere, officials confirmed Tuesday.

Department officials have said a variety of issues have influenced their decision, and they’ve pointed to revenue as one of the key factors.

One of the first programs to close is the Pavo Real Daycare in theLower Valley, which has about a dozen children enrolled. Compared to the 80 to 100 kids in other city daycares, it just isn’t feasible to stay open, officials said.

ABC 7 reported earlier this year that the city was looking to privatize those services, but the city found little support from parents. Officialssaid manyfamiliesfearedenrollment costs would dramatically rise from acurrent monthyfeeof $75.

ABC 7 tried to get an estimate of how much money the city is losing through the daycare programs, but the station did not receive a response late Tuesday.

— Written for broadcast by Stephanie Valle

—Formatted for the web by Kevin Pytcher