PHOENIX — Parents anxious to sign up their kids for academic summer camp are going to have to wait a little longer.
Like until about March 28.
It turns out that an announcement last week by Gov. Doug Ducey of a Monday, March 7, sign-up was only for organizations that want to actually provide the services. That ranges from public schools to boys and girls clubs to the YMCA.
Gubernatorial press aide C.J. Karamargin told Capitol Media Services that effort already is bearing fruit. He said in just the first three days about 300 potential hosts already had applied.
What’s next, he said, is reviewing all the applications. And Karamagin said that’s about more than what kind of academics and programs they intend to offer.
“They will be vetted and checked,’’ he said. “Parents will be trusting their kids to these people.’’
In the meantime, there are no opportunities for parents to sign up and choose which programs they want for their youngsters.
There is, however, one thing parents can do: Go to the website azontrack.com and put in their names to be notified when there actually are options.
Ducey is funding these programs with $100 million of federal COVID relief dollars — enough, he said, for about 250,000 students to enroll in the eight-week programs that will be made available. But the governor insisted that if demand is higher he will find additional funds.
There is no cost, with enrollment open to students as young as those entering kindergarten. And it even will cover high school seniors who may need some help getting up to speed to get the credits they need to graduate.
The program, however, is open only to students in traditional public and charter schools. Youngsters attending private or parochial schools are ineligible.
