Tracking American Rescue Plan funds: Recommendations from the field

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers.

In October, the Afterschool Alliance released a new report, “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities,” detailing how districts are spending their American Rescue Plan Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds specifically during out-of-school (OST) hours. In addition to reviewing 6,315 district plans, over 40 interviews were conducted with school district leaders and program providers. These interviews provided detailed insight into the success and challenges of utilizing ARP ESSER for afterschool as well as informed recommendations for how school districts, program providers, and policymakers can continue building momentum now and after ARP ESSER expires.

School district leaders have a unique opportunity with ARP ESSER to respond to the impact of COVID-19 through enriching afterschool activities that are coordinated across the district and draw on community resources. One way to maximize this opportunity is to establish or develop existing community partnerships. For example, in an interview with district leadership in an urban midwest school district, they described investing in an expansive partnership model that enabled them to increase their afterschool programming from six school sites to 96 school sites, serving approximately 5,700 students. The district was able to scale its programs by creating a model that engaged a subset of nonprofits to serve as both program providers and coordinating partners. For the 2022-2023 school year, the district had more than a dozen coordinating partners, with over 40 specialized community groups providing various activities, including writing, visual arts, robotics, sports, dance, photography, career exploration, financial literacy, and cooking and nutrition. As one district leader said, “We know that there are others that are more expert in certain areas, and rather than us trying to duplicate services or ramp up something, we’re leveraging our partnerships with others.”

For district leaders who are worried about the sustainability of developing OST programs using ARP ESSER, consider braiding funds to provide afterschool and summer programming. Many school districts interviewed discussed how braiding ARP ESSER funds with another funding stream enabled the district to enhance the value of their programs for students, parents, and staff. For example, during the summer of 2022, a school district in the rural southwest used ARP ESSER funds to provide a half-day summer school with breakfast and lunch to approximately 70 students over two weeks. The summer programming focused narrowly on helping students meet the state’s academic standards; however, after receiving a 21st CCLC grant, the district was able to offer a full-day, two-week STEAM summer camp during the summer of 2023. ARP ESSER funds supported teachers who provided tutoring and academic support, while 21st CCLC funds supported teachers leading enrichment activities. Braiding funding streams can increase the capacity of the program, add to the types of activities and supports offered in the program, and help to improve the sustainability of the program.

Afterschool and summer program providers have faced challenges with accessing district-level ARP ESSER. Programs that accessed funds often relied on strong, pre-established relationships. However, there are many paths to establishing strong relationships and partnerships, and now is the best time to use ARP ESSER as a reason to connect with your local school district! If you’re interested in partnering with your local school or school district, understand the needs of the school and students and emphasize the value your organization provides to address those needs. For instance, a local school district in the west approached a program provider about a partnership to offer afterschool and summer programming.

When asked what actions led to the district seeking out their program, the provider responded, “Because of my long-standing relationship with the district and all of the different school boards, principals, and superintendents, we would dream from time to time and I would do a check-in and ask what are some things you wish took place for your students and families…Well, the silver lining of COVID, as it relates to this, is that some of those wishlists could finally be addressed after decades because, finally, people started to see the impact we have.” To partner with a school or school district, a provider should know how its services will help address a gap or need of the school and its students. Then, through conversations together, districts and providers can work to align their goals and see where providers can meet unmet needs.

ARP ESSER serves as a great learning opportunity for policymakers who are navigating how education systems can respond once COVID funding expires. Policymakers should include specific language related to comprehensive afterschool and summer learning programming and partnerships with community organizations in policies related to education spending. Without specific language, districts may not have a full scope of what types of programs can be offered.

One statewide afterschool network collaborated with their state education agency. Together, they developed a grant using the state education agency's afterschool and summer learning set-aside funds. The grant specified that grantees must be a youth development organization and employ a whole-child approach, among other requirements. These specifications led to serving nearly 79,000 students across more than 1,300 sites. Including specific language and guidance describing quality and comprehensive afterschool and summer programming and prioritizing partnerships with community-based organizations would help increase collaboration between schools and community organizations. This, in turn, would increase access to afterschool and summer programs that provide holistic support and include both academic and enrichment opportunities for students.

Without specific language, districts are more likely to only offer academic-focused programming. While it did not ask about ARP ESSER funds, a September 2023 National Center for Education Statistics’ School Pulse Panel (SPP) mirrored findings from “Investments in Student Recovery.” The SPP found that just over half of public schools (51 percent) reported offering an academic assistance program after school, compared to 28 percent of schools providing an afterschool academic enrichment program, and nearly half of public schools offered summer school (48 percent), compared to 19 percent who reported offering summer recreation programs.

Policymakers should also consider that without increased investments in afterschool and summer programming, many programs will have a severely reduced capacity to serve youth after school. In interviews, districts and programs said that without ESSER funds they will have to increase student-to-staff ratios, add parent pay to their models, or eliminate programs completely. The decreased amount of funds for afterschool and summer as ARP ESSER winds down can already be seen and felt across the country. The School Pulse Panel (SPP) also found that although most schools surveyed report providing afterschool programs during the 2023-2024 school year and during the summer of 2023, these numbers are lower compared to the 2022-2023 school year and the summer of 2022, in particular, afterschool activities and clubs (72 percent vs. 59 percent), enrichment activities (43 percent vs. 28 percent), and summer programming in general (90 percent vs. 82 percent).

As the end date for spending down ARP ESSER approaches and with no new federal funding stream dedicated to comprehensive afterschool on the horizon, many districts face a fiscal cliff for their investments in afterschool and summer learning programs. Without policymakers increasing the level of funding for afterschool and summer programs, too many young people across the county will miss out on the critical academic and whole child support they need when school is out.

Read the report to find the full list of findings, recommendations, and promising strategies. You can also find helpful resources on the Engage Every Student (EES) website, an initiative launched in July 2022 by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to expand access to afterschool and summer learning programs. The website provides the tools and resources schools and communities may need to start or grow their afterschool and summer offerings. You can find an afterschool and summer needs assessment, tip sheets on topics such as research on OST time learning and collaborating with municipal officials to support afterschool and summer learning, and office hours providing technical assistance. Finally, you can join the hundreds of supporters and sign on as an ally for EES to work to ensure that all young people who want to participate in afterschool and summer programs have that opportunity.