Afterschool Alliance

March 17th

Representatives Dale Kildee (D-MI), founding member of the House Afterschool Caucus, and Randy Kuhl (R-NY), also a Caucus member, sent a letter to Representatives Obey (D-WI) and Walsh (R-NY), Chair and Ranking Member of the appropriations subcommittee that decides funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, asking them to give the program a $250 million increase for Fiscal Year 2009. Thanks to the many phone calls from afterschool advocates, over fifty Representatives joined Kildee and Kuhl in signing the letter! This helped send a strong and clear message to Members of Congress on the widespread support that exists for increasing investment in afterschool – thank you!

Click here to see if your Representative signed the letter. Click here to ask you Senators to sign on to a similar letter being circulated in the Senate by Senators Dodd (D-CT) and Ensign (R-NV).

February, 2008

On February 4th, President Bush released his Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal, asking Congress to cut funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLCs) from the current $1.1 billion level to just $800 million next year. If Congress agrees, 300,000 students would lose access to afterschool programs next year. The President also proposes to restructure this highly successful initiative into a voucher program. This would have disastrous consequences for afterschool programs receiving federal funds, and for the nation’s children and families. Click here for the full story. To show strong opposition to this proposal, we urge you to join us in a National Call In Campaign to Support Afterschool on February 25th and 26th. Visit Advocacy Center for full details. For further background information and talking points click here.

December 27, 2007

Historic Afterschool Funding Increase Approved by Congress and the President

Afterschool providers and advocates have reason to celebrate this holiday season! Congress had to make some very difficult spending decisions this year and despite cuts to some critical programs for kids – including level funding the Child Care and Development Block Grant – after months of receiving calls, emails and letters from the afterschool community, Congress and the President are giving the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program a badly needed and well deserved funding increase. On December 26th, the President signed an omnibus spending bill that provides a $100 million increase for 21st CCLC for Fiscal Year 2008, putting the total funding at an all time high of $1.1 billion. To see how this funding increase will affect your state, click here.

Thanks to all of your hard work, an additional 100,000 kids will have access to high quality afterschool programs.

- The Afterschool Alliance Team

November, 2007

Veto Override Fails in the House of Representatives

On November 15, the House of Representatives took up the vote to override President Bush’s veto of the Fiscal Year 2008 Labor, Heath and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill – the bill that included a $100 million increase for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. Unfortunately they fell two votes short of overriding the veto. The final vote tally was 277-141, with 226 Democrats and 51 Republicans voting to override the veto. Fifteen members of Congress did not vote. Click here to see how your Representative voted – and be sure to thank them if they voted to override.

Thank you to all who took the time to make phone calls. There will now be further negotiations to come up with a smaller spending bill and the Alliance will keep you updated on the next opportunity for advocates to weigh in.

Afterschool victory -- Congress Votes on Spending Bill that Includes the Largest Afterschool Funding Increase in Years!

On Monday, November 5, Congress released the FY 2008 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations conference report (compromise bill) which includes a $100 million increase in 21st Century Community Learning Center funds - bringing 21st CCLC funding to a historic high of $1.08 billion! This phenomenal increase would not have happened without the commitment to afterschool and diligence on the part of advocates in contacting their Senators and Representatives. The Senate approved the conference report and the House is expected to pass it shortly. Unfortunately, the President has threatened to veto the bill and it is expected that he will do so once it is sent to him for his signature.

So while this funding increase is something to celebrate, our work still is not done. Advocates should reach out to their Senators and Representatives to tell them they must override the President’s expected veto. Together we can ensure that thousands more youth have access to quality afterschool programs!

Federal Afterschool Funding Advances - July, 2007

For the first time in years, Congress is poised to increase funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers - but it is unclear how large an increase America's children and families will see. Key appropriations subcommittees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate marked up the relevant section of the fiscal year 2008 budget this June, and both proposed increases in afterschool funding. But the House Subcommittee proposed a significantly larger increase than did the Senate Subcommittee.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education voted to put an additional $125 million into the 21st Century Community Learning Centers budget, which would fund the initiative at $1.106 billion next year. This 12.7 percent increase would bring it to its highest funding level yet, providing afterschool opportunities for an additional 125,000 children and youth.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies passed a smaller increase, recommending $1 billion in afterschool funding next year. Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant called the Senate vote "a disappointment. After five years of flat funding and across-the-board cuts, this is a step in the right direction - yet it only restores afterschool funding to the level we had six years ago, when the same dollars bought much more than they do today. If it stands, this funding level will leave millions of children and families without the quality afterschool programs they urgently need."

"We applaud the House of Representatives for listening and increasing afterschool funding by $125 million, and urge the Senate to do the same," Grant added. "As the appropriations bills work their way through Congress, we will do everything possible to increase funding for afterschool. America's children and families deserve it."

Advocates should call Members of Congress to remind them that years of funding freezes and across-the-board cuts are taking a painful toll, and that communities need greater federal investment in afterschool programs!

Advocacy Makes a Difference

Never doubt that a phone call to a lawmaker can make a real difference! Afterschool providers and supporters have been mobilizing more effectively than ever in recent months. They have had a real impact building congressional support for an increase in 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding, convincing Senators to co-sponsor the Improving 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act of 2007, and urging Members to join the House and Senate Afterschool Caucuses.

Led by state networks, Afterschool Ambassadors and dedicated advocates, the afterschool field is making its voice heard with activity in Arizona, California, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, Wisconsin and elsewhere.

In June, one state network convinced its state Attorney General and Superintendent of Schools to write a Senator to encourage him to support an afterschool funding increase - and he did. Another state network convinced the mayors of the state's largest cities to contact their Senators on behalf of 21st Century Community Learning Centers appropriations.

One advocate convinced her Governor to press one of the states Senators to endorse the Improving 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act of 2007. Two Afterschool Ambassadors and one business leader in Mississippi convinced Senator Thad Cochran to co-sponsor the bill. Nationwide, organizations supportive of afterschool crashed one Senate office's email several times in one day with requests to be listed as endorsers of the same bill.

Another afterschool advocate called to encourage her Representative to join the House Afterschool Caucus, and learned during the call that the husband of the aide she was talking to runs a 21st Century Community Learning Center program. The staffer subsequently convinced her boss to join the House Afterschool Caucus.

"It can be intimidating to pick up the phone and call the office of a Senator or Representative, but that call can have a tremendous impact," Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant said. "Often you get what you are asking for and, even when you don't, there can be long-term benefits from making a personal connection and providing valuable information about how important afterschool programs are to voters in his or her district or state."

June 7, 2007

Today, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education – the subcommittee that handles most afterschool funding – marked up their version of the FY2008 budget. Included was a $125 million increase in 21st CCLC for a proposed appropriation of $1.106 billion. This proposed increase would make for the highest ever funding level for 21st CCLC and would provide afterschool for an additional 125,000 children and youth!! Click here for a state chart of funding and number of kids served at this proposed funding level.

The subcommittee proposal will be debated by the full House Appropriations Committee as early as next week and then appropriations work will move to the Senate. Stay tuned for updates and requests to contact members of Congress to support this proposed increase in funding.

June 6, 2007

Today, Senators Dodd and Ensign, Chairmen of the Senate Afterschool Caucus, introduced the Improving 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act of 2007. The stand alone bill is designed to reauthorize the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program and eventually be folded into the larger No Child Left Behind legislation. The Afterschool Alliance worked closely with the senators and are very grateful to them for incorporating in the bill our recommendations to improve 21st CCLC. Specifically, the legislation will enhance program sustainability and increase program quality, and includes language to encourage service learning and youth development activities and address the nation's growing obesity epidemic among school-aged children. Senators Akaka, Casey, Cochran, Collins, Menendez and Whitehouse joined Senators Dodd and Ensign as cosponsors.

Afterschool Alliance has endorsed the legislation along with organizations across the country, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the National Collaboration for Youth, YMCA of the USA, National Education Association, Save the Children, the National Recreation and Park Association, First Focus and America’s Promise, The Alliance for Youth, American Association of School Administrators, National Afterschool Association and the American Heart Association.

Click here to see a summary of the legislation or the full bill.
Click here to endorse the bill.

April 2007

In recent months, Congress has begun to work in earnest on the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act. The House and Senate have both held numerous hearings examining different aspects of the law, and Congressional staff are gathering information and recommendations from the various groups interested in weighing in. This reauthorization presents a critical opportunity to improve afterschool.

Click here to find out more about the Alliance’s work on reauthorization.

For more policy news, see April 2007 Congressional News Round-Up, Bush Proposes No Increase for 21st CCLC in '08, More States Funding Afterschool, Increase Afterschool Funding, All 14 Women Senators Tell President

Congress Finalizes Spending for 07, begins work on 08

At the end of February 2007, Congress finalized spending for fiscal year 2007 by passing a continuing resolution that kept funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative steady at the 2006 level of $981 million - far below the $2.5 billion level authorized in the No Child Left Behind Act. The bill would also eliminated "earmarks" - funding set aside for specific programs that have benefited some afterschool initiatives in recent years.

In most years, Congress adopts more than a dozen separate appropriations bills, each funding one or more departments or agencies of the federal government. In 2006, however, Congress did not do so. With the beginning of the budget process for fiscal year 2008 looming, congressional leadership opted not to pass separate appropriations bills for 2007, but instead to adopt a single "continuing resolution" covering most federal spending.

With spending finalized for FY07, Congress immediately began work on the budget for FY08. By the end of March both the House and Senate had passed their budget resolutions for FY08 – both of which include between $5 and $6 billion above the President's request for education and training. Appropriations committees in the House and Senate will determine exactly how the increase is spent, but these numbers are a good sign for afterschool advocates. Make sure you get afterschool policy updates – sign up for the Afterschool Advocate e-newsletter.

President's Budget Level-Funds 21st CCLC, CCDBG; Proposed Funding Represents Loss of Real Money for Afterschool Programs.

On February 6, 2006, President Bush announced his proposed federal budget for FY 2007, leaving funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program at FY 2006 levels. While No Child Left Behind authorizes $2.5 billion for 21st CCLC in FY 2007, the President proposed just $981.166 million. That is approximately $20 million less than the funding height of $1 billion for 21st CCLC in FY 2002. In addition, the Child Care Development Block Grant, another federal funding stream for afterschool programs, was also funded at the same levels appropriated in FY 2006, $2.1 billion.

The No Child Left Behind Act established a multi-year roadmap for slow but steady growth in afterschool funding, reflecting a national consensus that afterschool programs should be expanded. If Congress agrees to the President's proposal for next year, none of the increases authorized in No Child Left Behind will be realized, reflecting the loss of opportunities after school for thousands of children around the country.

While not the final budget, the President's budget proposal acts like a roadmap; congressional appropriators use the funding levels in this budget to develop a budget that will eventually go to the President's desk for his signature.

Go to http://capwiz.com/afterschool/home to contact your Members of Congress and tell them how important these critical afterschool federal funds are to you and your community. For more information on what the difference between the 21st CCLC authorized level of funding ($2.5 billion) and the requested level ($981 million) means for afterschool programs in your state, click here.

President Bush’s State of the Union Address

President Bush delivered his seventh State of the Union address on January 23, using the opportunity to share his priorities on a variety of issues including health care, the war in Iraq, energy and education. While afterschool was not specifically mentioned, the President focused a part of his address on the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) – emphasizing the bipartisan nature in which the law was passed in 2002 and the success of the law on increased student achievement thus far – and urged Congress to work with him in a bipartisan manner to reauthorize NCLB this year. The White House has also released policy fact sheets to provide more details on some of the key issues the President discussed in his address. The education fact sheet details the Administration’s recommendations for the upcoming reauthorization of NCLB. Of note to afterschool advocates in the recommendations:

To read more about the specific proposals made by the Administration go to:
www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2007/initiatives/education.html

The Afterschool Alliance will continue to monitor the situation as more details will be released by the White House and various Department of Education officials regarding the reauthorization proposals. In addition, the President will release his FY 2008 budget on February 5. Stay tuned for more information on this immediately following the release.

Senate Committee level funds 21st CCLC

On Thursday, July 20, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed by voice vote, S. 3708 - the Fiscal Year 2007 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS-Ed) Appropriations Bill. Mirroring the House bill and the President's Budget Request for FY 2007, the 21st Century Community Learning Center Program (21st CCLC) received $981 million dollars, the same level of funding received in FY 2006. Given that the bill cuts, or even eliminates, many other programs, we are fortunate that 21 CCLC remains one of the few programs to escape actual cuts. However, as costs continue to rise, each successive freeze means that federal dollars are serving fewer and fewer children in afterschool programs.

Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), chairman of the LHHS-Ed Subcommittee, described the bill put before the Appropriations Committee this week as, "…constituting what I view as really the disintegration of the appropriate federal role in health, education and worker protections." The bill completely eliminates certain grant programs, including Dropout Prevention, Smaller Learning Communities and the Even Start Family Literacy program. In addition, it freezes funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant at $2.06 billion, with $18.8 million set aside for child care resource and referral and school-aged child care activities. It also funds Title I state grants at the 2006 level and cuts special education state grants. For months Senator Specter and Ranking Member Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) had argued with the Budget Committee and the Senate leadership about the dire consequences of an allocation that was at least $2 billion short of what was called for in the Senate Budget Resolution. The result is a bill that eliminates programs in all three agencies (Education, Health and Human Services as well as Labor), cuts funding for many popular and important initiatives, and freezes the bulk of domestic spending.

The Senate Appropriations Committee also approved the spending bill which funds the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) - another federal funding stream important to afterschool programs. While the President's FY 2007 Budget Request had initially proposed cutting the CDBG program by over 20 percent, the Committee rejected these cuts, approving $3.887 billion for the program which ensures that most states should receive level funding in FY 2007.

Action now moves to the Senate floor, although the Senate is not expected to take up the LHHS-Ed bill until after the November elections. The House LHHS-Ed bill remains stalled due to a contentious minimum wage amendment. Even if this issue is resolved, the House Leadership will want to wait until the post-election, lame duck session - already scheduled for November 13 - to take up the bill. This means programs and the children and families that count on them will mostly likely have to wait until the end of the year before funding is finalized.

New Members Join Growing Afterschool Caucuses

Since afterschool advocates met with Congressional offices in May during the Afterschool for All Challenge, eleven members of Congress have joined the Afterschool Caucuses. They include Senators Cochran (R-MS), Reed (D-RI) and Lieberman (D-CT) and Representatives Boozman (R-AR), Bradley (R-NH), Gerlach (R-PA), Langevin (D-RI), Lewis (D-GA), Ryan (D-OH), Simmons (R-CT), and Wilson (R-SC).

Congratulations to advocates from these states who worked so diligently to get the new members to join!

Go to www.afterschoolalliance.org/caucuses.cfm to see if your Senators and Representative are currently caucus members. If not, please contact their offices and encourage them to join and show their support for afterschool.

House Appropriations Committee Level-Funds 21st Century Community Learning Centers; Senator Snowe Seeks To Keep $7 billion in Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill - Urge Your Senators To Sign On

On June 7th, the House Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education released its draft of the Labor Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS-Ed) Appropriations bill - the bill that funds 21st Century Community Learning Centers. We are disappointed to report that the bill level-funds 21st CCLC at $981 million - the same as the President's proposal. We were hoping that some of the additional $4 billion dollars given to the Appropriations Committee would have been used to help restore the cuts to 21 CCLC.

There is still a chance to get additional funding for afterschool programs through the Senate appropriations process. As you may remember, when the Senate originally passed its budget resolution in March, it included an additional $7 billion in funding for the Labor-HHS-Education bill (the Specter Harkin Amendment). Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) is leading an effort to ensure that this $7 billion stays in the Senate's Labor-HHS-Education bill. This is our best chance at getting any increased funding for afterschool programs through 21st CCLC. Senator Snowe is seeking signatures from other senators on a "Dear Colleague" letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Chairman of the Appropriations Committee Thad Cochran (R-MS) supporting the $7 billion. Please call both of your senators and ask them to sign on to Senator Snowe's Labor-HHS-Education Dear Colleague letter. You can find your senators' phone numbers by visiting www.senate.gov .

Although we encourage phone calls as they can be more powerful and persuasive, you may also send an email by visiting http://capwiz.com/afterschool/home, and selecting the message that asks Senators to sign on to Senator Snowe's Dear Colleague. If you choose the email options, please personalize the message and add local program information before sending it to your Senators.

House Pushes for More Afterschool Funding

March 16, 2006 - Lead by Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Dale Kildee and Shelley Berkley, 44 members of the House of Representatives sent a letter to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education's Chairman Regula and Ranking Member Obey urging the subcommittee to support full funding ($2.5 billion) for 21st Century Community Learning Centers. To see if your representative signed the letter, click here. If your representative signed the letter, please take a moment to call or fax his/her office and thank your representative for supporting afterschool.

Senate Gives Afterschool Vote of Support

March 16, 2006 - Today, the Senate passed the Specter (R-PA), Harkin (D-IA) amendment by an overwhelming margin of 73-27. The amendment provides an additional $7 billion dollars of federal funding to support education and health projects including 21st Century Community Learning Centers and other initiatives that help fund afterschool programs. To see how your Senators voted visit:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative

If a Senator from your state voted for the amendment, please take a moment to call or fax his/her office and thank the Senator for supporting afterschool.

Senate Afterschool Caucus Urges Increased Funding for Afterschool

On March 6, 2006, 27 of the 33 members of the Senate Afterschool Caucus signed a letter to Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Ranking Member Kent Conrad (D-ND) encouraging increased funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program in the FY2007 budget. The Senators cited the value of afterschool programs and their contributions to keeping kids safe, helping working families and inspiring learning. They also compared the current funding level of $981 million to the $2.5 billion authorized in NCLB and pointed out the 2 million children left behind after school as a result. To view a copy of the letter, click here. If a Senator from your state signed the letter, please take a moment to call or fax his/her office and thank the Senator for supporting afterschool.

President's Budget Level-Funds 21st CCLC, CCDBG; Proposed Funding Represents Loss of Real Money for Afterschool Programs.

On February 6, 2006, President Bush announced his proposed federal budget for FY 2007, leaving funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program at FY 2006 levels. While No Child Left Behind authorizes $2.5 billion for 21st CCLC in FY 2007, the President proposed just $981.166 million. That is approximately $20 million less than the funding height of $1 billion for 21st CCLC in FY 2002. In addition, the Child Care Development Block Grant, another federal funding stream for afterschool programs, was also funded at the same levels appropriated in FY 2006, $2.1 billion.

The No Child Left Behind Act established a multi-year roadmap for slow but steady growth in afterschool funding, reflecting a national consensus that afterschool programs should be expanded. If Congress agrees to the President's proposal for next year, none of the increases authorized in No Child Left Behind will be realized, reflecting the loss of opportunities after school for thousands of children around the country.

While not the final budget, the President's budget proposal acts like a roadmap; congressional appropriators use the funding levels in this budget to develop a budget that will eventually go to the President's desk for his signature.

Go to http://capwiz.com/afterschool/home to contact your Members of Congress and tell them how important these critical afterschool federal funds are to you and your community. For more information on what the difference between the 21st CCLC authorized level of funding ($2.5 billion) and the requested level ($981 million) means for afterschool programs in your state, click here.

Women Senators Unite in Asking President to Help Afterschool Grow

January 3, 2006 -- A bipartisan group of all 14 of the U.S. Senate's women this week sent a joint letter to President Bush urging him to provide enough funding to permit the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative to grow in the next fiscal year. The 21st CCLC initiative is the principal federal funding mechanism for afterschool programs. Funding for the initiative has been frozen for five years. The letter comes as the Administration is preparing its FY 2007 budget proposal, with the future of afterschool funding in the balance.

Read Press Release about the Senators' letter.

Read a copy of the Senators' letter.

Send your own message to the President.

Congress Approves Afterschool Budget

On Thursday December 22, the House of Representatives approved, by unanimous consent, the FY 2006 Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Conference Report that had been passed by the Senate, also by voice vote, earlier in the week.

In the final bill, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) and the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) programs will be funded at last year's levels, $991 million and $2.1 billion, respectively. However, Congress also approved a one percent across-the-board cut to all discretionary domestic appropriations (except in Veterans Programs) as part of its final flurry of activity for the year. As a result, the final funding for 21st CCLC will be reduced by about $10 million down to $981 million, and there will be a $21 million reduction for CCDBG.

Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant expressed disappointment with the funding levels. "We understand that these are difficult budgetary times. However, it is a mistake to cut critical programs like 21 CCLC and CCDBG. On any given day, 14 million children have no place to go in the hours after school. We need more funding for quality programs, not less. We hope to work together in the upcoming year to ensure that funding for these programs is increased, not decreased."