Beaufort County Board of Education legislative committee members discussed whether federal EIA funding could support expansion of the district’s Extended Learning Centers (ELCs) and whether the board should consider supporting such an expansion in a future referendum.

The chair noted that EIA funds had previously been used to help create the Extended Learning Center and said the superintendent’s office is conducting analysis “to empirically basically see how those impact performance.” He summarized a theme from the budget review: family engagement appears to be important in supporting student outcomes.

Ms. Gordon asked how an ELC expansion “lines up with legislation and what we'd be putting in a form of legislation if we take this on.” The chair and other members said additional analysis and legislative alignment would be required before recommending action. Colonel Guyer said the “concept’s good” but cautioned that “the devil’s in the details.”

Committee members discussed shifts in participation rates across education options and noted public-school participation is declining while other options are increasing; specific participation percentages were not provided. The chair suggested that, if a rigorous study and board debate supported expansion, the board might consider being “proponents of creating a whole new concentric circle of ELCs” and that the idea could be included as part of a potential third referendum.

Board members requested that staff and the superintendent provide additional information on program costs, expected impacts on student performance, legislative implications, and any required funding sources before the board takes a position.