Western Dakota Technical Institute officials are searching for another provider to keep the doors open to the school's day care center.

"It's a money thing, and it's a temporary money thing," WDTI President Craig Bailey said.

The WDTI Child Development Center is a federally subsidized program for students and staff members and has been touted by state officials as a quality operation. However, salaries for well-paid staff, budget cuts and the governor's decision this year not to provide the state's technical schools with one-time money has put the center in dire financial straits, Bailey said.

"We're losing more than $100,000 a year; we continue to lose lots of money," he added. "It is a great day care center. … I'm still looking for other benefactors that may help assist with the state dollars we lost."

In addition to the child care subsidies provided by the state through the Department of Social Services, the center was further underwriting costs with the state's one-time monies, said Dave Janak, budget and finance director for the Rapid City school district. The K-12 school district is the governing board of the institute, but both entities have separate funds.

The child care center lost $160,000 last year, he said.

The Department of Social Services reported that the WDTI center received almost $48,000 in child care subsidies during the 2008 fiscal year.

The institute had a potential partnership with Youth and Family Services, but the organization isn't in a position now to oversee the center, Janak said.

The institute faces the same problem many public entities encounter when providing a private service, he said. The Rapid City school district's Jefferson Academy day care center was in the same position last year, and it was temporarily included on a list of multimillion-dollar budget cuts.

"That's the case with a lot of programs," Janak said. "We were able to find funding through the YMCA for last year and this year. But our funding dries up this year. We're kind of in the same boat."

Janak said he understands the institute's interest in providing a day care center.

"We're not in the day care business, but we recognize that's a way to keep kids in school."

Bailey agreed. He said the school must do everything it can to help students be successful.

"It's one of those tools to help them get access to an education so they can change their lives," he said. "I want to do what's in our kids' best interest, our students and their children. I can't take the money out of services that go to our students."

Between 50 and 60 kids attend the day care during the school year, with a smaller number during the summer, with nine part-time and full-time staff members, officials say.

Jill Winter, WDTI Child Development Center director, declined to comment for the story.

Janak said that even if the school does find a new provider, things will be different.

"At this point, the services provided there are going to change," he said. "That will be a hardship on the students that utilize that service. That may cost him (Bailey) in enrollment."

But Bailey said he is confident that the doors of the day care will stay open.

"Without a doubt, we're going to have a day care in the future," he said. "This is only a short-term thing. We need that; our students need that. I believe at the end of the movie, the good guy will always win. I hope somebody will step forward."

Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com