A series of webinars on policy developments.
Watch latestSign up for the seriesLate on October 10, the Administration laid off thousands of federal employees, including most of the U.S. Department of Education staff who oversee Elementary and Secondary Education programs (See statement by Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant). All remaining employees who support 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), the chief federal funding stream for afterschool and summer learning programs, were subject to the reduction in force (RIF). Administration officials say the layoffs are in response to the federal government shutdown and lack of appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2026. The federal government shut down on October 1, as Congress failed to reach agreement on FY 2026 appropriations legislation that lays out government spending for the year.
On October 1, the federal government began a partial shutdown for the first time since 2019. While the Senate continues to take votes on continuing resolutions that would end the shutdown, those have all fallen short of the 60-vote threshold needed to reopen the government. Official negotiations do not appear to be taking place between Democrat and Republican leadership; however a bipartisan group of Senators has begun meeting to explore a path to ending the shutdown. Most federal K-12 education and afterschool funding, including 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) and the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), have not been impacted by the shutdown, however we continue to monitor the situation. Read more on our blog.
Every second Friday at noon ET, our own Senior VP of Policy, Erik Peterson, will recap the latest policy developments, what we know (or don’t know!) about how they may impact afterschool and summer programs, and what may be coming up next. Register
Co-hosted by the Afterschool Alliance and the National Summer Learning Association, in partnership with Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Every Hour Counts, YMCA of the USA, and Save the Children.
Across the nation, local afterschool and summer programs play a vital role in supporting our communities, the economy, and a strong workforce by keeping kids safe, inspiring learning, and helping working parents provide for their families. Federal 21st CCLC funding empowers local communities to meet student, parent, and community needs. 21st CCLC grants support 10,000 programs serving nearly 1.4 million youth. The 25-year history of these programs shows that they work. Youth who participate in programs do better in school, build critical work and life skills, avoid risky behaviors, and land better jobs with higher incomes as adults. When parents have reliable care for their kids, they are more productive on the job, and businesses benefit. 4 in 5 parents report that afterschool programs help them keep their jobs.Watch
Join us for a webinar to explore this CCDF policy change as an opportunity for afterschool providers to collaborate with state agencies, identify service gaps, and explore ways school-age programs can be included in funding opportunities to meet underserved needs.Watch
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