FY 25 appropriations process hits its stride, time to advocate for afterschool

After many delays, Congress finished work on fiscal year (FY) 2024 spending bills in late March, allowing lawmakers to immediately turn to the FY 2025 process. The House Appropriations Committee has a new Chairman, both House and Senate Appropriation Committees have released guidance for spending requests, and hearings to review the President’s FY 2025 budget proposal are underway. Members of Congress are circulating Dear Colleague Letters in support of a range of federal programs, including 21st CCLC, and there are opportunities for advocates to convey their support for various programs as well.

New Leadership on House Appropriations Committee

House Republicans chose Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to chair the Appropriations Committee, replacing Kay Granger (R-Texas) who stepped down from the post before she retires at the end of this Congress. Rep. Cole previously served as the top Republican on the Labor, Health and Human Services and has worked across the aisle in that position. He is a strong supporter of TRIO programs and is familiar with education programs like 21st CCLC. With new leadership in place, negotiations now must take place on what the topline for defense and non-defense discretionary spending will be for FY 2025. There is a statutory cap set for each category as a result of last year’s Fiscal Responsibility Act, however adjustments are likely to be renegotiated.

Committees issue guidance on spending requests

Chairman Cole’s first official act was to release FY 2025 Member Guidance on programmatic and language requests. House Appropriations guidance and dates were released and advocates have been invited to submit Public Witness testimony on the FY 2025 budget by May 3. Guidance for representatives’ programmatic and funding requests was also released by the House Appropriations Committee, but not yet for earmarks. Senate Appropriations guidance and dates were also posted for senators’ FY 2025 requests for language, program funding, and earmarks. May 14 is the deadline for senators to submit Senate Labor-HHS-Education spending requests.

Secretary of Education Cardona testifies

On April 10, Secretary Cardona testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education about the president’s FY 2025 budget request for the Department of Education. In his opening statement, the secretary stressed, “This budget is about making responsible choices, together, to invest in that foundation for American opportunity -- and raise the bar for our nation’s future.” He emphasized the common ground shared between the Department and House leadership in Congress, saying there is “so much common ground about what matters most for our nation’s students, such as: getting all students to read by third-grade, providing mental health supports in the midst of a youth mental health crisis, opening up career and college pathways so students have more options for rewarding lives and careers, and making higher education more affordable and accessible for those who choose that path.” In the secretary’s full statement he emphasized the administration’s proposal for $8 billion in mandatory funding over five years to help Title I and Title I-eligible schools to improve opportunities and outcomes for underserved students through a variety of proven, evidence-based strategies, including: expanding summer, extended, or afterschool learning time; increasing student attendance and engagement; and providing high-quality, high-dosage tutoring.

Groups urge funding for 21st CCLC

This month a broad spectrum of local, state, and national organizations sent a letter of support for increasing 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding to the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members. The letter calls for increased funding for 21st CCLC in FY 2025 and cites the most recent Department of Education national annual performance report on 21st CCLC, which found that 69 percent of participating students increased homework completion and class participation, while 64 percent of students improved their classroom behavior—all important indicators of student engagement.

Reach out to Congress on the importance of afterschool and summer programs

The appropriations process comes at a time when voter support for afterschool and summer is at an all-time high, with voters across political affiliations, community types, racial and ethnic groups, and age groups in agreement that elected officials should invest more resources in programs. Now is a good time to reach out to Congress to ask them to support afterschool and summer learning programs in the FY 2025 education spending bill.