March 10, 2026 – Decatur Public Schools District 61 announced it will discontinue its Extended Day program in its current form at the end of the school year.
District officials said the last day of the free before- and after-school program will be May 22, 2026.
The Extended Day program has been offered at no cost to families using temporary federal relief funding provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. With those funds now expired, district leaders say continuing the program at its current scale is not financially sustainable.
“Extended Day has been an important support for our students and families, and we recognize how much our community has relied on it,” said Rochelle Clark. “As the program was funded through federal COVID relief dollars, we have reached a point where continuing the program as it currently operates is not financially sustainable.”
District officials said they are exploring potential partnerships with third-party providers and local organizations to continue before- and after-school services for families beginning in the 2026–27 school year.
Additional information about possible partnerships, timelines and next steps will be shared with families and school communities as it becomes available, according to the district.
