Archives:

Select:

$120 million increase proposed for 21st CCLC as U.S. House Subcommittee continues FY2023 Appropriations process

READ FULL STORY

$120 million increase proposed for 21st CCLC as U.S. House Subcommittee continues FY2023 Appropriations process

Update (6/24): The House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations subcommittee approved the FY23 spending bill detailed below along a party line vote the evening of June 23.

This week, the House of Representatives continues the FY 2023 appropriations process with multiple subcommittee mark-ups. On June 23, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee will mark up its FY 2023 spending bill. The draft bill includes a $120 million proposed increase to the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) initiative – the only federal funding stream dedicated to afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs. President Biden had proposed a $21 million increase for 21st CCLC. The potential increase could allow up to 120,000 more youth across the country to have access to quality afterschool and summer programs.

The FY 2023 LHHS-ED bill provides $86.7 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, which is $1.6 billion less than the President’s request and $11.3 billion (15%) above the net enacted level provided for FY 2022. The text of the draft bill was released on June 22, ahead of the subcommittee markup, which will be webcast live at 5:30 PM ET on June 23rd. The Afterschool Alliance is grateful for the proposed increase, which comes one month after Executive Director Jodi Grant testified in support of increased 21st CCLC funding.

Key funding provisions of the draft bill that would support afterschool and summer learning programs include the following:

  • $120 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center program, which supports before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs for almost 2 million students. The program would receive $1.4 billion.
  • $1 billion increase for Child Care and Development Block Grant, for a total of $7.2 billion. This Department of Health and Human Services program supports school-age children with afterschool and summer programs, in addition to providing child care to infants and toddlers.
  • $3 billion increase for ESSA Title I grants to Local Education Agencies, for a total $20.5 billion. These Education funds can be used by school districts to support afterschool and summer learning.
  • $75 million increase for Title IV Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, for a total of $1.4 billion. These funds can be used for afterschool Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), physical activity and a host of other uses.
  • $393 million increase for Full-Service Community Schools, for a total of $468 million. Full Service Community Schools funding supports comprehensive services and expands evidence-based models that meet the holistic needs of children, families, and communities, including afterschool and summer learning components.
  • Continued support for a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Initiative to support SEL and “whole child” approaches to education. Within this amount, the bill provides:
    • $132 million, an increase of $50 million over the FY 2022 enacted level, for grants for evidence-based, field-initiated innovations that address student social, emotional, and cognitive needs within the Education Innovation and Research program;
    • $90 million, an increase of $5 million over the FY 2022 enacted level, for the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program with a priority for teacher professional development and pathways into teaching that provide a strong foundation in child development and learning, including skills for implementing SEL strategies; and
    • $1 billion within School Safety National Activities for Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grants and School-Based Mental Health Services Grants to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) directly increase the number of mental health and child development experts in schools.
  • $124 million increase for Career and Technical Education State Grants, for a total of $2.2 billion.
  • $161 million increase for TRIO to $1.3 billion, and $30 million increase for GEAR UP to $408 million. These programs help prepare students for college.
  • $34 million increase for Federal Work Study to $1.2 billion. Federal Work Study can help support college students working in afterschool and other community-based organizations while attending college.
  • Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS): a $150 million increase for CNCS for a total of $1.3 billion. Within the total amount, the bill includes $523 million for AmeriCorps State and National Grants, an increase of $56 million. AmeriCorps positions include those supporting afterschool and summer learning programs.
  • $29 million increase for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program to $130 million.
  • $256 million increase for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act State Grants, for a total of $3.1 billion. These funds can be used for youth workforce skill development for older youth.
  • $75 million for National Youth Employment Program to support summer and year- round employment for youth.

The House Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) draft bill was also released this week, and includes the following funds that can support afterschool and summer learning:

  • $110 million for Youth Mentoring grants within the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
  • $150 million for community-based violence intervention initiatives.
  • $9.63 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF), an increase of $793.2 million.  These funds will foster innovation and U.S. economic competitiveness, including funding for climate science and sustainable research, as well as research on artificial intelligence, quantum information science, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and many other critical areas. The bill also invests in important scientific infrastructure. Within this total:
    • Research and Related Activities are funded at $7.7 billion, an increase of $546.1 million above the FY 2022 enacted level; and
    • STEM Education is funded at $1.25 billion, an increase of $244 million above the FY 2022 enacted level, to help broaden participation in STEM research and STEM careers among underrepresented populations.
  • $25.45 billion for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an increase of $532 million. This funding includes continued investments in human space exploration efforts, as well as other investments, including $150.1 million for STEM Engagement, an increase of $13.1 million above the FY 2022 enacted level, to inspire young people to pursue future careers in science and engineering.

The annual spending process continues as lawmakers eye the September 30th deadline for passing all spending bills or a continuing resolution. This week’s House subcommittee mark-ups will be followed next week by the full House Appropriations Committee mark-ups, including this LHHS-ED spending bill, which is scheduled for June 30th. The Senate has yet to announce its schedule for marking up its LHHS-ED spending bill, but it is likely to happen later this summer.

Speaking out this week is especially important! Friends of afterschool can weigh in with their members of Congress about the importance of funding afterschool and summer learning programs.

Federal appropriations update: Are we headed for a shutdown?

Congress is back in session after its annual August recess, and at the top of their to-do list is addressing spending for the fiscal year that begins October 1. As we touched on last month, lawmakers are staring down a fast-approaching deadline for action on FY 2024 spending. It is clear that...

BY: Erik Peterson      09/15/23

New Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant Opportunity Makes Space for Afterschool Partnerships

Applications for $25 Million in new awards through the Perkins Innovation and Modernization Program through the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education are now open to educational entities such as school districts and institutes of higher education. Additional partnerships are prioritized,...

BY: Jillian Luchner      09/08/23

Back to school means back to D.C. for Congress. What’s ahead in September?

The slower pace of August in Washington, D.C., is nearing its end. The imminent return of the U.S. Congress to Capitol Hill and the people’s business suggests the need for revisiting what lawmakers did before the August recess and what faces them in September. As students and teachers go back...

BY: Erik Peterson      08/25/23

OST college preparation programs close opportunity gaps for students of color

On June 29, 2023, the United States Supreme Court ended the use of race-based admission policies at higher education institutions. As an advocate for equitable education and a current college student who comes from a background that would qualify me to be a beneficiary of affirmative action, I am...

BY: Mazzi Ingram      08/22/23

Child care proposed rule seeking comments on making CCDF more affordable and accessible

Update – The Afterschool Alliance has drafted comments on this notice that can be reviewed here. On June 22, the Office of Child Care posted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) Regulations. Comments on the proposed rule are open through August...

BY: Jillian Luchner      07/28/23

Senate Afterschool Caucus briefing highlights the impact of afterschool and summer programs

On Wednesday, July 12, the Senate Afterschool Caucus, in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance and the National Summer Learning Association, held a briefing on how the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program is making a positive difference for youth, families, and...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/18/23

House Appropriators mark-up FY 2024 Education spending bill

This week, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee pushed the FY 2024 appropriations process forward by holding multiple subcommittee mark-ups. On Friday, July 14, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/14/23

Congress passes deal to raise debt limit and constrain spending

UPDATE: June 2, 2023: Late on the night of June 1, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act by a vote of 63-36, about 24 hours after the House passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 314-117. The President is expected to sign the bill into law today. On May 31, the House passed the...

BY: Erik Peterson      06/01/23

Your feedback needed on 21st Century Community Learning Center draft non-regulatory guidance

UPDATE: The deadline has been extended from June 16th to July 7th. The U.S. Department of Education is accepting feedback through June 16, 2023, on Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance PDF. This represents the first time in 20 years that...

BY: Erik Peterson      05/22/23

Trio of newly introduced bills align with recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month

While Congress and the White House struggle with raising the debt ceiling and getting the appropriations process back on track, legislation continues to be introduced in both the House and Senate. Beginning in late April, a trio of bills have been introduced that provide critical supports for...

BY: Erik Peterson      05/11/23

Federal appropriations update: Are we headed for a shutdown?

Congress is back in session after its annual August recess, and at the top of their to-do list is addressing spending for the fiscal year that begins October 1. As we touched on last month, lawmakers are staring down a fast-approaching deadline for action on FY 2024 spending. It is clear that...

BY: Erik Peterson      09/15/23

Summer is ending! What is the status of appropriations for STEM education on Capitol Hill?

As is the case each August, Congress has left Washington D.C., for several weeks. The month’s slower pace gives STEM, education and afterschool advocates an opportunity to digest what happened in the frantic days before the recess and assess what remains to be done in 2023. The annual...

BY: Anita Krishnamurthi      08/28/23

Back to school means back to D.C. for Congress. What’s ahead in September?

The slower pace of August in Washington, D.C., is nearing its end. The imminent return of the U.S. Congress to Capitol Hill and the people’s business suggests the need for revisiting what lawmakers did before the August recess and what faces them in September. As students and teachers go back...

BY: Erik Peterson      08/25/23

Senate appropriators propose level funding for 21st CCLC in FY 2024

The Senate Appropriations Committee released and marked up their Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill on July 27, 2023. The bill proposes $224.4 billion in total funding for Fiscal Year 2024. The Nita M Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center Initiative...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/31/23

Senate Afterschool Caucus briefing highlights the impact of afterschool and summer programs

On Wednesday, July 12, the Senate Afterschool Caucus, in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance and the National Summer Learning Association, held a briefing on how the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program is making a positive difference for youth, families, and...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/18/23

House Appropriators mark-up FY 2024 Education spending bill

This week, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee pushed the FY 2024 appropriations process forward by holding multiple subcommittee mark-ups. On Friday, July 14, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/14/23

Senate HELP hearing on mental health

On June 8, 2023, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) hosted a hearing titled, "Why Are So Many American Youth in a Mental Health Crisis? Exploring Causes and Solutions.” The hearing featured two panels of expert witnesses convened to discuss the rising...

BY: Mazzi Ingram      06/20/23

Congress passes deal to raise debt limit and constrain spending

UPDATE: June 2, 2023: Late on the night of June 1, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act by a vote of 63-36, about 24 hours after the House passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 314-117. The President is expected to sign the bill into law today. On May 31, the House passed the...

BY: Erik Peterson      06/01/23

Trio of newly introduced bills align with recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month

While Congress and the White House struggle with raising the debt ceiling and getting the appropriations process back on track, legislation continues to be introduced in both the House and Senate. Beginning in late April, a trio of bills have been introduced that provide critical supports for...

BY: Erik Peterson      05/11/23

Secretary Cardona makes the case for robust education spending at House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing

The FY 2024 appropriations process continues in the House this month, with agency heads testifying on the president’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. On Tuesday, April 18, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education held a budget...

BY: Erik Peterson      04/21/23

Office of Child Care inquiring what should be included in State Child Care Development Fund plans

Update – The Afterschool Alliance has drafted comments on this notice that can be reviewed here. The three-year cycle for State Plans for Child Care and Development funds is upon us, and the federal government is now providing an opportunity to comment on the form states must fill out to...

BY: Jillian Luchner      08/08/23

Empowering youth voices: Reflecting on the 2023 Youth Policy Forum

By Keem Anderson, associate director at Ignite Afterschool (MN). At Ignite Afterschool, Minnesota’s statewide afterschool network, we recently had the privilege of hosting our 2023 Youth Policy Forum, an event dedicated to amplifying youth voice, advocating for impactful policies that...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/07/23

2023 state budgets bring new investments in afterschool programs

The end of state legislative sessions have now come to a close in most states, and with this closure comes news of new states establishing afterschool funding streams or expanding existing ones in their state budgets. This year, four new states have joined a growing list of states that support...

BY: Chris Neitzey      07/11/23

Mental health and wellness a popular topic in state legislatures in 2023

Last year, as states grappled with ways to reengage students as the recovery from the pandemic set in, student mental health came to the forefront in many state legislatures. In Georgia last year, the state legislature passed HB1013, the Mental Health Parity Act, to address mental health...

BY: Chris Neitzey      05/11/23

State legislatures looking to increase investments in afterschool

We took at look at how governors across the country are supporting afterschool in a previous post, but what kind of progress is being made in state legislatures for afterschool? It turns out, quite a bit. Below is a sampling of the different bills that have been introduced in state legislatures...

BY: Chris Neitzey      03/24/23

Governors for afterschool – 2023 edition

Last year, governors from across the country highlighted the vital role afterschool programs play in their State of the State speeches and budget proposals. Some of these efforts led to new funding streams for afterschool, as in in Alabama and Michigan; expansion of funding in states like...

BY: Chris Neitzey      03/07/23

Statewide afterschool networks continue to advance STEM as a policy priority at the state level

The Afterschool Alliance and STEM Education Coalition enter our seventh year of a project to support the development and advancement of STEM learning at the state level, in partnership with the Statewide Afterschool Networks and funded by the Overdeck Family Foundation. This year’s cohort...

BY: Chris Neitzey      02/14/23

D.C. Mayor Bowser pledges to build robust afterschool programs in inaugural address

Photo by Andra C Taylor Jr on Unsplash Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) was sworn in for her third term on January 2, 2023. In her inaugural address, Mayor Bowser pledged to “build the most robust free before- and after-school programs in the nation” in her next term....

BY: Chris Neitzey      01/06/23

State elections bring new faces to governors mansions

After a full week of counting ballots, the picture at the state level has become clear. A handful of Governor’s races resulted in Democratic gains, with Arizona, Maryland, and Massachusetts all electing Democrats. Incumbent Governors were reelected in 27 out of 28 races, with only Democrat...

BY: Chris Neitzey      11/18/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Connecticut case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/05/22

Federal appropriations update: Are we headed for a shutdown?

Congress is back in session after its annual August recess, and at the top of their to-do list is addressing spending for the fiscal year that begins October 1. As we touched on last month, lawmakers are staring down a fast-approaching deadline for action on FY 2024 spending. It is clear that...

BY: Erik Peterson      09/15/23

Summer is ending! What is the status of appropriations for STEM education on Capitol Hill?

As is the case each August, Congress has left Washington D.C., for several weeks. The month’s slower pace gives STEM, education and afterschool advocates an opportunity to digest what happened in the frantic days before the recess and assess what remains to be done in 2023. The annual...

BY: Anita Krishnamurthi      08/28/23

Back to school means back to D.C. for Congress. What’s ahead in September?

The slower pace of August in Washington, D.C., is nearing its end. The imminent return of the U.S. Congress to Capitol Hill and the people’s business suggests the need for revisiting what lawmakers did before the August recess and what faces them in September. As students and teachers go back...

BY: Erik Peterson      08/25/23

Senate appropriators propose level funding for 21st CCLC in FY 2024

The Senate Appropriations Committee released and marked up their Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill on July 27, 2023. The bill proposes $224.4 billion in total funding for Fiscal Year 2024. The Nita M Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center Initiative...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/31/23

House Appropriators mark-up FY 2024 Education spending bill

This week, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee pushed the FY 2024 appropriations process forward by holding multiple subcommittee mark-ups. On Friday, July 14, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/14/23

Congress passes deal to raise debt limit and constrain spending

UPDATE: June 2, 2023: Late on the night of June 1, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act by a vote of 63-36, about 24 hours after the House passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 314-117. The President is expected to sign the bill into law today. On May 31, the House passed the...

BY: Erik Peterson      06/01/23

Making the case for increasing 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding

On March 23, Alabama Expanded Learning Alliance Co-director Felicia Simpson testified at a hearing of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS-E) Appropriations Subcommittee in support of increased funding for Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning...

BY: Erik Peterson      03/27/23

FY 2024 budget proposal is disappointing for 21st CCLC, but includes other afterschool related increases

Today the Biden administration released its FY 2024 discretionary budget request, formally kicking of the FY2024 appropriations process, while debate around raising the debt ceiling continues. With regard to afterschool and summer learning support, the proposal requests $1,329,673 for the Nita M....

BY: Erik Peterson      03/09/23

March madness = Budget & appropriations process kickoff!

This year, early March means the release of the president’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year and the beginning of the FY 2024 appropriations process in Congress. Here's what we know so far about how this year’s process may roll out in the coming year.  On or...

BY: Erik Peterson      03/01/23

Mammoth spending bill includes support for afterschool, summer, mentoring, and more

In December, the 117th Congress approved a $1.7 trillion bill that included a $40 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative and additional increases across the US Department of Education important to afterschool programs, public schools,...

BY: Erik Peterson      01/23/23

Summer is ending! What is the status of appropriations for STEM education on Capitol Hill?

As is the case each August, Congress has left Washington D.C., for several weeks. The month’s slower pace gives STEM, education and afterschool advocates an opportunity to digest what happened in the frantic days before the recess and assess what remains to be done in 2023. The annual...

BY: Anita Krishnamurthi      08/28/23

Back to school means back to D.C. for Congress. What’s ahead in September?

The slower pace of August in Washington, D.C., is nearing its end. The imminent return of the U.S. Congress to Capitol Hill and the people’s business suggests the need for revisiting what lawmakers did before the August recess and what faces them in September. As students and teachers go back...

BY: Erik Peterson      08/25/23

Senate appropriators propose level funding for 21st CCLC in FY 2024

The Senate Appropriations Committee released and marked up their Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill on July 27, 2023. The bill proposes $224.4 billion in total funding for Fiscal Year 2024. The Nita M Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center Initiative...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/31/23

House Appropriators mark-up FY 2024 Education spending bill

This week, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee pushed the FY 2024 appropriations process forward by holding multiple subcommittee mark-ups. On Friday, July 14, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/14/23

Congress passes deal to raise debt limit and constrain spending

UPDATE: June 2, 2023: Late on the night of June 1, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act by a vote of 63-36, about 24 hours after the House passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 314-117. The President is expected to sign the bill into law today. On May 31, the House passed the...

BY: Erik Peterson      06/01/23

March madness = Budget & appropriations process kickoff!

This year, early March means the release of the president’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year and the beginning of the FY 2024 appropriations process in Congress. Here's what we know so far about how this year’s process may roll out in the coming year.  On or...

BY: Erik Peterson      03/01/23

STEM education update: Good news and looking ahead

In the final weeks of 2022, Congress passed a $1.7 trillion spending bill to fund every agency through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2023. The bill was the product of weeks of negotiations and defense spending, supporting the CHIPS and Science Act and some policy issues attached to the bill took...

BY: Anita Krishnamurthi      02/23/23

Mammoth spending bill includes support for afterschool, summer, mentoring, and more

In December, the 117th Congress approved a $1.7 trillion bill that included a $40 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative and additional increases across the US Department of Education important to afterschool programs, public schools,...

BY: Erik Peterson      01/23/23

Opportunity: CCDF supplemental funds available for school-age programs

Now and over the next year, states are focusing on spending “child care CCDF supplemental funds” that must be obligated by 2023 and liquidated in 2024. State administrative agencies of the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF, also known as CCDBG) recently faced three concurrent...

BY: Jillian Luchner      10/25/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Kentucky case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/18/22

Federal appropriations update: Are we headed for a shutdown?

Congress is back in session after its annual August recess, and at the top of their to-do list is addressing spending for the fiscal year that begins October 1. As we touched on last month, lawmakers are staring down a fast-approaching deadline for action on FY 2024 spending. It is clear that...

BY: Erik Peterson      09/15/23

Summer is ending! What is the status of appropriations for STEM education on Capitol Hill?

As is the case each August, Congress has left Washington D.C., for several weeks. The month’s slower pace gives STEM, education and afterschool advocates an opportunity to digest what happened in the frantic days before the recess and assess what remains to be done in 2023. The annual...

BY: Anita Krishnamurthi      08/28/23

Senate appropriators propose level funding for 21st CCLC in FY 2024

The Senate Appropriations Committee released and marked up their Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill on July 27, 2023. The bill proposes $224.4 billion in total funding for Fiscal Year 2024. The Nita M Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center Initiative...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/31/23

ED extends time for comments on 21st CCLC Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance

Afterschool providers and allies now have until July 7 to comment on the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance. We are grateful to the Department of Education for recognizing the significance of this updated guidance and providing additional time for feedback....

BY: Jillian Luchner      06/22/23

Congress passes deal to raise debt limit and constrain spending

UPDATE: June 2, 2023: Late on the night of June 1, the U.S. Senate passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act by a vote of 63-36, about 24 hours after the House passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 314-117. The President is expected to sign the bill into law today. On May 31, the House passed the...

BY: Erik Peterson      06/01/23

Your feedback needed on 21st Century Community Learning Center draft non-regulatory guidance

UPDATE: The deadline has been extended from June 16th to July 7th. The U.S. Department of Education is accepting feedback through June 16, 2023, on Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance PDF. This represents the first time in 20 years that...

BY: Erik Peterson      05/22/23

Making the case for increasing 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding

On March 23, Alabama Expanded Learning Alliance Co-director Felicia Simpson testified at a hearing of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS-E) Appropriations Subcommittee in support of increased funding for Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning...

BY: Erik Peterson      03/27/23

Mammoth spending bill includes support for afterschool, summer, mentoring, and more

In December, the 117th Congress approved a $1.7 trillion bill that included a $40 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative and additional increases across the US Department of Education important to afterschool programs, public schools,...

BY: Erik Peterson      01/23/23

Previewing the 118th Congress: What does it mean for afterschool?

With 2022 in the rearview mirror, we can also say farewell to the 117th Congress. The new Congress marks a return to ‘divided government’ with the White House and Senate being led by Democrats and the House of Representatives under the control of the Republican Party. What might the...

BY: Erik Peterson      01/09/23

$50M in 21st CCLC funds from Bipartisan Safer Communities Act sent to states

This summer, a group of 20 Democratic and Republican Senators, led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), worked to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included gun safety measures, mental health support investments, and school safety provisions that aim to...

BY: Erik Peterson      11/03/22

Beyond relief – New tools to help sustain the impactful pandemic investments in afterschool and summer

Children’s Funding Project, in collaboration with Grantmakers for Education and our team at the Afterschool Alliance released an important new tool for the field, “Funding Out-Of-School Time Programs – Now and in the Future.” Recognizing that COVID-19 education and child...

BY: Jillian Luchner      09/29/23

Senate Afterschool Caucus briefing highlights the impact of afterschool and summer programs

On Wednesday, July 12, the Senate Afterschool Caucus, in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance and the National Summer Learning Association, held a briefing on how the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program is making a positive difference for youth, families, and...

BY: Erik Peterson      07/18/23

$50M in 21st CCLC funds from Bipartisan Safer Communities Act sent to states

This summer, a group of 20 Democratic and Republican Senators, led by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), worked to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which included gun safety measures, mental health support investments, and school safety provisions that aim to...

BY: Erik Peterson      11/03/22

Learning about summer learning

Summer enrichment funding for every state was required in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). The State of Summer Learning Grants: An Analysis of States’ Use of ARP Summer Enrichment published in July by the organization Education...

BY: Jillian Luchner      09/19/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Kentucky case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/18/22

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Connecticut case-study

By Mahika Gupta and Alexa Kamen, the Afterschool Alliance’s inaugural Summer Policy Interns. Mahika is entering her Senior year at Colby College in Maine, working on degrees in English Creative Writing and Astrophysics and participating as a staff writer for her college paper. Alexa...

BY: Guest Blogger      08/05/22

Roundup of afterschool in State Budgets Part 2

With state legislative sessions wrapping up and state budgets now finalized, we bring you our second installment of the roundup of afterschool funding in state budgets. As highlighted in the previous post from June, this year brought a number of new investments in afterschool at the state level....

BY: Chris Neitzey      07/21/22

For some, a summer of enrichment thanks to ARP dollars

This summer, thanks to pandemic relief funding, some students are experiencing a summer full of exploration, connections with friends and mentors, and learning that is engaging and exciting. After the last couple years, it can be a game changer for youth who have faced isolation, loss, and...

BY: Erik Peterson      06/27/22

Jodi Grant testifies at House hearing in support of afterschool programs

This morning, Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant testified at a hearing of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS-E) Appropriations Subcommittee in favor of increased funding for Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st...

BY: Erik Peterson      05/26/22

American Rescue Plan funds one year later: Support for afterschool, summer learning

A little more than one year ago, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) into law, providing billions in funding to support communities and youth impacted by the pandemic, and naming afterschool and summer learning programs as one strategy to invest in to support young people. So...

BY: Erik Peterson      04/15/22