"My prediction is that we'll probably accept this, unless I find something that doesn't make any sense at all," said Karen Knudsen, chairwoman of the board's budget committee.

The fee has not been increased since 1996, she said.

A-Plus is an after-school program operated by the Department of Education and private childcare providers on school campuses to provide a safe place for "latchkey kids" who might otherwise be home alone. More than 23,000 children participate.

The DOE had sought to raise fees earlier, but board members delayed taking action and requested more information that would justify an increase. The department has prepared a cost breakdown and is to present its case today.

"Because this is a very sensitive issue for families, we wanted to be very careful and sensitive," Knudsen said. "They are proposing that we have a sliding scale, based on how many children in a family would be in the program."

For instance, families with two children would pay $60 per month for each child, while those with three children would pay $55 each, she said.

The increase would not apply to students from low-income families who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, she said.

The biggest impact is likely to be on families that earn slightly more and don't qualify for such subsidies, Knudsen said.

"They're still getting a very good bargain, I think. ... But nonetheless, when the paycheck doesn't go up, we're still talking about impact on budgets, so we still want to be sensitive and review these materials very carefully," she said.

The higher fees would help ensure the program continues, she said.