Secretary of Education DeVos fumbles when asked about afterschool funding

Something noteworthy happened on Tuesday, when Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos testified at a House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the U.S. Department of Education Fiscal Year 2019 budget proposal. Midway through the contentious hearing, DeVos fumbled badly. She dismissed a question from Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) about afterschool funding by responding: “The afterschool programs have been identified as being very… there’s no data to show that they are effective in what the stated goal has been. In some communities they may be, but…” The secretary was saved by the bell, when Rep. Clark’s time ran out.

But, as Rep. Clark pointed out, reams of research, including studies of every kind, demonstrate the enormous and diverse benefits afterschool programs provide to students, families, schools and communities. There is strong support across the country for afterschool funding, as was evident last week when more than 600 groups wrote to appropriators in support of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). This week, reflecting their constituents’ views, more than 110 Representatives signed a letter calling for increased funding for Community Learning Centers.

The March 20 hearing, before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, covered a wide array of topics – but subcommittee members discussed the value and effectiveness of afterschool programs several times. In her opening remarks, Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) called out the importance of federal support for afterschool and summer learning programs. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) also mentioned Community Learning Centers when she questioned Secretary DeVos, calling afterschool funding critical for educational equity.

Again in Fiscal Year 2019, the administration’s proposed budget seeks to eliminate funding for the Community Learning Center, the chief federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs, as well as Title II, Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants program (investments in educator professional development programs), along with 27 other programs.

We can’t let that happen. Almost 2 million students and their families would be left behind. It’s why we are so proud to be part of such a strong effective field that will ensure that members of Congress continue to learn why afterschool and summer learning programs are vital to their communities. The more they hear from us, the better chance we have of not just saving afterschool but growing it to reach the millions of students who still don’t have access to these essential programs.