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"We urge you to continue and expand the Committee's strong bi-partisan support for before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs through 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)," the letter says. "As mayors working in cities all over the nation, we understand how critical this program is to providing support for more than 1 million children in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A wealth of research and data demonstrates that these programs help children academically, socially and behaviorally."
"Communities like ours rely on 21st CCLC as an essential source of afterschool program funding that leverages a wide array of funding - local, state and private - as well as partners, including faith-based organizations, nonprofits, businesses, educational organizations and volunteers... Now is the time to expand access for more of our most at-risk students, not divert much needed afterschool funding to create new programs that will result in even more children home alone," it continues, referring to the President's Blueprint for education reform, which would divert funds from afterschool programs to efforts to extend the school day. For more information on the Blueprint for Reform, click here.
In the letter, the mayors ask Committee members to "protect and expand afterschool programming," as well as oppose cuts to 21st CCLC. It was sent on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and was spearheaded by Providence, Rhode Island Mayor and Afterschool Alliance Board Member David Cicilline.
This story originally appeared in the Afterschool Advocate (Vol. 11, Issue 6).
Click here to read the rest of this issue.
