BUSD Clarifies ELOP Transition and Commitment to Student Services

BUSD remains fully committed to providing a high-quality Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) for our students in accordance with state requirements and educational best practices. Over the past several years, the District’s afterschool program has continued to expand and now serves hundreds of students daily through academic support, enrichment activities, meals, transportation, and supervised care.

For several years, BUSD partnered with Eastside Student Center (ESC) to provide ELOP services for 5th and 6th grade students. Throughout that partnership, the District worked collaboratively with ESC and maintained ongoing discussions regarding long-term program sustainability and future funding realities. Conversations regarding the upcoming contract and budget constraints occurred over the course of several months and were, in fact, not abrupt.

When the ELOP program was initially implemented statewide, BUSD received one-time implementation funding that allowed the District to support startup costs beyond what ongoing annual funding would sustain long term. In addition, supplemental revenue connected to a partnership with another district helped offset costs through 2025-26. BUSD communicated from the beginning that these funding sources were temporary and would not continue indefinitely.

Importantly, many operational expenses associated with the ELOP program, including transportation, food services, administrative support, staff benefits, and retirement costs, were absorbed by the District and not charged against the ESC contract. These supports allowed the program to operate at a level that exceeded what recurring ELOP funding alone could support.

As the District prepared the 2026–27 budget, it became necessary to evaluate all programs to ensure equitable and responsible use of public funds. Under the current structure, approximately 25% of the District’s ELOP funding allocation supported a program serving roughly 12% of participating students. The other 75% has supported 88% of participating BUSD students through BUSD’s in-house TK-4th grade Rams Club, not to mention the additional K-6 monthly enrichment clubs and K-6 summer camps which continue to serve significantly larger student groups, covering the full operational requirements mandated by the state, including 210 days of annual programming. 

After careful review of projected costs, student participation trends, and long-term program sustainability, the District proposed a revised contract amount of $194,000 for the 2026–27 school year. ESC indicated they would be unable to operate under that amount. As a result, BUSD made the difficult decision not to renew the contract for next year and instead plans to directly operate a 5th and 6th grade ELOP cohort within the District’s overall program structure.

This decision is not a reflection of the dedication of ESC staff or the value of the services they have provided to students over the years. BUSD appreciates ESC’s contributions and remains hopeful that the organization will continue pursuing its longstanding mission of supporting middle and high school students in our community.

As always, BUSD’s responsibility is to ensure that public funds are used in a fiscally responsible, equitable, and sustainable manner while continuing to provide safe, enriching opportunities for students and families.

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