Archives:

Select:

ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool: Kentucky case-study

READ FULL STORY

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 currently teaches elementary school in Baltimore through Teach for America. She’s a graduate of the College of William and Mary. This is the second blog in our series, “ARP investments in comprehensive afterschool.” See more examples of comprehensive afterschool in our Connecticut case study.

Following our exploration of the impact of American Rescue Plan funding on Connecticut school districts, we next  looked toward the allocation of ARP ESSER III funds in Kentucky school districts. We chose Kentucky because the state differs from Connecticut in demographics (Kentucky is mostly rural while Connecticut is widely suburban) but is home to nearly the exact same number of school districts, which creates a distinctive comparison.

Kentucky ESSER III Background

The American Rescue Plan presents an opportunity to support students’ academic and emotional recovery after the pandemic and expand access to underserved communities across the state. Jason E. Glass, commissioner of education for the Kentucky Department of Education has been quoted as saying “This plan will assist in the safe reopening and in-person operation of our schools, while addressing not only the academic needs of our students, but their social, emotional and mental health needs as well. Instead of returning to the traditional way of doing things, our priority is to return to a better than normal school year,” noting the approval of Kentucky’s ARP ESSER plan in the summer of 2021. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the nation engages in recovery, out-of-school time programs have been imperative in helping students reconnect with peers and receive additional supports like homework help, tutoring, or enrichment activities that address their social and emotional health.

Process

According to the Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky has 171 school districts and 1,477 schools. Out of the 158 plans identified by our contract with Burbio Inc. in May 2022, we chose a sample of 52 districts plans (1/3 of the available data) in order to look at the amount of money each district allocated to comprehensive afterschool and summer programming. Most states do not list all their district plans in one place and Burbio staff aim to identify as many as possible.

According to the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance, more than $521 million in additional funding is available for afterschool and summer enrichment in Kentucky, of which $375.3 million has been provided to local education agencies (LEAs) for the 20 percent designated for learning recovery.

According to Burbio’s budget data, the 52 district plans selected for evaluation from Kentucky received a total of $462.7 million in total ESSER III funds, with $92.5 million (20 percent) of that specifically designated for learning recovery. Although among those 52 school districts, Burbio’s data scan did not identify a single school district that dedicated money towards afterschool, we also had access to district narratives on LEA uses of funds through the Kentucky Department of Education webpages. Most narratives in our review were highly focused on the allocation of ARP ESSER III funds to the safe reopening of schools and the institution of pandemic protocols. In some cases, small sections of the narrative plans were dedicated to afterschool and summer school programs.

Taking a closer look at the budget information and available narratives, we found that there were a number of districts that did mention providing some form of afterschool, although there was great variation as to the types of programs and amount of information provided. Additionally, there were inconsistencies between the narratives and itemized budgetary information. For example, some districts included afterschool in narrative plans but not the budgetary information or vice versa. Regardless of whether afterschool programs showed up in the narrative or in the budget or both, we included them in our final results. However, what this meant is that unlike our Connecticut analysis, where we were able to provide the amount of money going to each afterschool category, for Kentucky, we were only able to report out on the number of schools that mentioned afterschool programs, and were not able to include dollar amounts.

As with our categorization of the Connecticut data, we categorized “afterschool” into four categories:

  • Extended School Day
  • Solely Academic Afterschool (extra hours with teachers for math and English tutoring)
  • Primarily Academic Programming with Elements of Student Support
  • Comprehensive (looking at the research-based elements of evidence-based programs as a guide)

These categories are not mutually exclusive, meaning one district can have afterschool programs that fit within more than one of the above categories. We classified as “unclear” programs or funds for an aspect of afterschool that we were not able to place in one of the four above categories with the information given.

Findings

We found that out of the 52 districts sampled, 20 mentioned afterschool in either the narrative plans or itemized budget. Specifically, we found:

  • Extended School Day: Two districts (3.8 percent of the 52 districts sampled, 10 percent of the 20 districts that allocated money towards afterschool) budgeted money for extended school day programs.
  • Solely Academic: Nine districts (17 percent of the 52 districts sampled, 45 percent of the 20 districts that allocated money towards afterschool) budgeted money for solely academic afterschool programs.
  • Primarily Academic with Elements of Student Support: Two districts (3.8 percent of the 52 districts sampled, 10 percent of the 20 districts that allocated money towards afterschool) budgeted money for primarily academic programs with some elements of student support.
  • Comprehensive Afterschool: Two districts (3.8 percent of the 52 districts sampled, 10 percent of the 20 districts that allocated money towards afterschool) budgeted money for primarily academic programs with some elements of student support.

We had nine districts that included programs or funds for an aspect of afterschool that we classified as “unclear.”

After finishing this review of the 52 programs, we went on to specifically look at the complete set of the 11 Kentucky districts in which Burbio data had found money going towards afterschool programs. Out of these 11, we found that 10 allocated money to our definitions of afterschool. The breakdown is as follows:

  • Extended School Day: One district (10 percent of the 10 districts in which Burbio found money allocated towards afterschool) budgeted money for extended school day programs.
  • Solely Academic: Five districts (50 percent of the 10 districts in which Burbio found money allocated towards afterschool) budgeted money for solely academic afterschool programs.
  • Primarily Academic with Elements of Student Support: No districts budgeted money for primarily academic programs with elements of student support.
  • Comprehensive Afterschool: Four districts (40 percent of the 10 districts in which Burbio found money allocated towards afterschool) budgeted money for comprehensive afterschool programs.

We classified afterschool programs from two districts as “unclear” due to the lack of information on the type of afterschool program.

Explaining Our Findings

A majority of the district narratives were focused on reopening schools, credit recovery, and learning loss more generally instead of afterschool programs. Some of the budgetary information for these districts included a few notes on staff salary for afterschool programs without mention of the programs themselves, and so we included this in the “unclear” category.

We believe we were able to identify many more programs than in Burbio’s initial scan by being more intentional in our search. Many of the direct keywords that Burbio might have been looking for, such as “afterschool” were missing from the budgets. Rather, some districts used short-hands like “SS” or “AS” to denote a summer or afterschool program, which Burbio may not have been sensitive to.

Having both budget and narrative data was also helpful for a more thorough analysis while simultaneously revealing the strengths and shortcomings of each. Narratives may have mentioned a more detailed description of afterschool activities but have left unclear what amount would be invested or if the investment was new funding from ESSER III. Budget data might have mentioned many quick line items on afterschool but provided little detail on the specific types of services and programs provided.  

Barren County provides a good example of the way afterschool programs were described differently across narrative and budgetary plans. They are also one of the strongest examples we found of comprehensive afterschool in the state. The following is an excerpt from the out of school time section of their narrative plan:

“ESSERS Funds have been distributed to all schools to provide an afterschool program with monies allocated to have services for 3 years.  All programs will have a coordinator to oversee hiring, scheduling, transportation needs, programming, family skill-building, and targeted assistance as directed by the school gap identification systems already in place.  Coordinators will work closely with students to develop relationships with the students, providing a safe space for learning and emotional growth.  Each program will incorporate social and emotional learning with the use of Every Monday Matters and Panorama. Which will support the work of trauma-informed care work of the district.”

Meanwhile, when we look at simply the budget information from Barren County, we can only see a number of line items for “Afterschool staff” or “afterschool supplies”, which we assume correspond to the same kind of comprehensive afterschool program as presented in the narrative, but do not explicitly describe a particular program or approach. Below is a screenshot of the budgetary information for Barren (of 164 items total):

This demonstrates the on-going challenges of understanding if district ESSER III investments are going to research-based, quality comprehensive afterschool programs based on currently available reporting. Looking at the budget data and a district’s narrative plans in tandem is, in our opinion, the most telling approach. Yet, as we have shown, especially when narrative plans have only occasional mentions of learning recovery expenditures, still quite limited.

Despite these limitations, we can gather the overall balance between expenditure or attention to comprehensive afterschool relative to other categories of “afterschool,, and continue to find that comprehensive afterschool is currently not the predominant use of “afterschool” investments of ESSER III. This finding is consistent across the district plans we examined in Connecticut and Kentucky.

The next steps for further understanding is to reach out to representatives within selected school districts in Kentucky to find more information about the afterschool programs mentioned in district narratives. Overall, it was more difficult to find mentions of specific afterschool programs with enough information to categorize them than it was with the Connecticut plans. We are curious to see how straight forward data is to find and interpret as this work continues across other states.

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