Trump and Afterschool- What You Need to Know

Source: Google Gemini AI Generated Image

By Sam Piha

Given the rapid pace of President Trump’s executive orders and announcements, we thought it was important to get the latest on the impacts on afterschool funding. To learn more we interviewed Erik Peterson, Senior Vice President of Policy at the Afterschool Alliance. See our questions and his responses below. 

Q: We know that Trump's executive actions will have a large impact on schools. Anything here we should be alerted to?

Erik Peterson

A: There are several Presidential Actions or Executive Orders that are impacting or will impact schools. We have seen Executive Orders target specific educational practices, such as diversity, equity and inclusion programs and teaching about certain topics like race or gender, and some schools are making changes to how they approach or teach these topics as a result. The Executive Order on school discipline could influence local district policies on discipline by potentially limiting certain approaches to discipline and impacting how schools deal with student behavior, possibly creating a more restrictive environment. 

The Executive Order promoting educational freedom and choice by expanding options for families, such as school vouchers or alternative educational settings, does not yet appear to have had a widespread impact on schools, but could potentially shift resources and influence how families choose their children's education.  

Executive Orders and agency policies on immigration and deportation have reportedly impacted school and afterschool attendance and the feeling of a safe school environment. Many of the Orders are being challenged through the federal justice system, and state and local laws or policies can run counter to the Executive Orders. Afterschool programs can share the impact of these, or other Executive Orders as well as grant terminations here: https://3to6.co/2025stories

Q: We know that any actions that impact schools may affect afterschool programs. However, there are more direct actions, such as the threat to 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Do we have any definitive news about funding that goes directly to afterschool programs? 

A: The proposed “skinny” budget for FY 26 released by the Trump Administration on May 2 would have a devastating impact on schools, if Congress chooses to follow the proposal. The budget proposal seeks to cut the Department of Education budget by $12.4 billion (15% from current level). It proposes a cut of $4.535 billion across K-12 programs; although mostly preserves Title I funding (it does propose to eliminate $428 million from Title I, Part C “Migrant Education and Special Programs for Migrant Students” which aim to ensure that all children of migratory farm workers and fishers reach challenging academic standards.)   

The budget proposes a $2 billion block grant for 18 other K-12 programs into a new “K-12 Simplified Funding Program;” and proposes level funding for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as well as a new "Special Education Simplified Funding Program" that consolidates seven unnamed IDEA programs. Finally, the “skinny” budget seeks to eliminate TRIO, GEAR UP, Federal Work Study, and the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program. There is a proposed funding increase of $60 million for Charter Schools, which would bring total funding for the federal charter school program to $500 million.



Source: Camp EDMO

With regard to afterschool programs specifically, the “skinny” budget proposal appears to eliminate the current, dedicated $1.329 billion 21st CCLC program through the proposed consolidation of 18 education discretionary and formula grant programs into one block grant totaling only $2 billion; and then proposing to cut the existing programs by $4.535 billion. It is possible afterschool and summer could be an allowable use of the new “K-12 Simplified Funding Program” for schools, however that means 21st CCLC funding as we know it would be eliminated as community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, etc., would no longer be eligible for grants, and activity funding for capacity supports/professional development would go away. 

The full budget proposal from the President is expected later in May or in June. Again, it is important to emphasize that this is a proposal only; Congress can reject it as they did similar proposals to eliminate 21st CCLC from President Trump in his budgets from 2017-2020.

Q: For those who wish to advocate to preserve funding for afterschool, do you have any thoughts? 

A: Advocates, partners, young people, and friends of afterschool and summer programs have a range of actions they can take. Reaching out to your Senators and Representatives is a first step – sharing the impact of afterschool and summer programs and how federal funding for these programs supports children, youth, families, and communities, being specific as possible. Advocates can also make sure local and state elected officials are aware of the importance of federal afterschool and summer funding as well and ask their help in making the case for ongoing funding. Perhaps the best strategy is site visits, working to get Members of Congress and their staff to visit local afterschool or summer programs and see firsthand the impact these programs are having. A site visit toolkit can be found here: https://afterschoolalliance.org/reachPolicySiteVisit.cfm  and more ways to advocate can be found here: https://afterschoolworksforamerica.org/ 

Another important thought on funding for afterschool programs, is that the federal uncertainty is an opportunity to continue the progress at the state level for advocating for state afterschool and summer funding. In the past several years we have seen more than 10 new states begin investing in afterschool and/or summer learning opportunities, bringing the total to 27. State funding streams can reflect the needs of local communities and can help make federal investments go further, and the 50 statewide afterschool networks have been key leaders and partners in expanding state funding for local programs. For more on the state afterschool funding landscape see:  https://www.afterschoolalliance.org/afterschoolsnack/2024-in-review-New-state-investments-help-grow-support-for_01-09-2025.cfm

Q: For those who wish to send a letter to their Congressperson advocating for afterschool funding, do you have any suggestions on what they should emphasize, such as the number of kids that may be impacted, etc.?



A: Advocates should emphasize the impact the program is having on children, families and community. Providing number of students served, as well as any outcomes from evaluations covering academics and other supports, can help paint the picture of how valuable these programs are. Anecdotes that provide specifics of how the programs are helping families are valuable. Describing what might happen if the program loses funding is also important. Finally, the messenger is important as well - parents reaching out to Congress about how important these programs are can help illustrate why funding must not be eliminated or reduced.

MORE ABOUT...

Erik Peterson joined the Afterschool Alliance in July 2009 and coordinates and advances the Afterschool Alliance’s policy efforts at the federal level by helping develop policy goals and implementing strategies that advance access to quality afterschool and summer learning programs for all. Erik works to build and strengthen relationships with policy makers and allied organizations to increase public support and funding for out of school time programs. Prior to coming to the Afterschool Alliance, Erik worked for the School Nutrition Association (SNA) in the Washington DC area, and as both an AmeriCorps VISTA and staff for the Sustainable Food Center in Austin, Texas. 

The Afterschool Alliance works to ensure that all youth have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs by engaging public will to increase public and private investment in afterschool program initiatives at the national, state, and local levels. They are an effective voice for afterschool in efforts to expand quality affordable afterschool and summer programs. The Alliance serves as an information source on afterschool programs and resources and encourages the development of local, state, and national afterschool constituencies and systems. The Alliance strives to communicate the impact of afterschool programs on children, families, and communities. 

President Calls for Elimination of Afterschool and Summer Funding

Source: www.pexels.com

According to Google AI, “Here's a breakdown of President Trump's afterschool policies, particularly his budget proposals, have had a significant impact on afterschool programs, primarily through proposed cuts and changes to federal funding streams. Here's a breakdown of the key impacts:

• Proposed Elimination of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Funding: The 21st CCLC program is the largest federal funding source specifically for afterschool and summer learning programs. President Trump's administration repeatedly proposed eliminating 21st CCLC funding, arguing the program lacked evidence of effectiveness. These proposals, if enacted, would have led to the loss of afterschool and summer programs serving millions of children and families, particularly in high-poverty areas. 


• Proposed Cuts to Other Education Programs Supporting Afterschool: Trump's budget proposals also included cuts to other federal programs that indirectly support afterschool, such as Title II (Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants) and Title IV Part A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants). These cuts would have further reduced resources available to states and localities for afterschool and related enrichment activities. 

• Consolidation and Block Granting Proposals: Some proposals aimed to consolidate various K-12 programs, including afterschool and summer learning funding, into a single block grant. This approach raised concerns about the potential for reduced funding for afterschool specifically and a loss of focus on the unique needs of these programs. 

• Impact of Overall Education Budget Cuts: President Trump's budget proposals generally sought to reduce the overall budget for the Department of Education. This could have resulted in reduced capacity for federal oversight, technical assistance, and innovation in afterschool programming.  

• Bipartisan Opposition and Congressional Action: While the Trump administration proposed these cuts, afterschool programs generally enjoyed strong bipartisan support in Congress. Congress often rejected the proposed cuts and maintained or even increased funding for programs like 21st CCLC.  

In Summary: President Trump's policies towards afterschool programs were largely characterized by proposed funding cuts and shifts in federal education policy. While some proposals were not enacted due to Congressional opposition, they created uncertainty and challenges for afterschool programs relying on federal support.” [i]

Source: Boost Cafe

According to Afterschool Alliance, “The President’s proposed ‘skinny’ budget for 2026 puts funding for afterschool and summer programs via 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) at risk. The proposal appears to eliminate entirely or collapse 21st CCLC into a consolidated grant program, lumping 18 programs together without enough funding for them all. Please urge your representatives in Congress to sustain this funding! [See Erik Peterson, Senior Vice President of Policy, Afterschool Alliance Afterschool Snack Blog here.]



21st CCLC supports nearly 1.4 million youth in programs in every state. Remind them of the importance of local afterschool and summer learning programs.

It supports 10,000 local programs serving nearly 1.4 million across the nation. The President’s proposal appears to eliminate entirely or collapse 21st CCLC into a consolidated grant program, lumping 18 programs into a fund to be sent to states without enough money to pay for them. With $12 billion in cuts to education programs overall, the consolidation effectively eliminates 21st CCLC afterschool and summer program grants. 

The need for afterschool has never been greater: for every child in a program, 4 are waiting to get in. Help make sure those doors stay open. Ask our leaders to act.
 

Please take a minute to make a phone call to your elected officials. A phone call helps show how much this issue matters to you! Don’t stop there:

- To help get the word out, use the tools at 3to6.co/Challenge. 
 

- See how the proposed cut could affect your state at AfterschoolWorksforAmerica.org

Federal support is essential to help the nearly 25 million children and youth who would be in an afterschool program if one were available. Increased program costs are making it harder for afterschool providers to serve families and children. In communities nationwide the need cannot be greater for math and reading enrichment, healthy activity and nutritious snacks, and hands-on, engaging activities that help children learn and grow.



Please take two minutes to send a message to Congress in support of afterschool and summer learning programs." [ii]

END NOTE:

[i] Google AI, How Have Trump’s Policies Impact Afterschool Programs?

[ii] Afterschool Alliance, Don't Eliminate Afterschool and Summer Funding in FY 2026

HERE WE GO AGAIN: Trump says eliminate afterschool in 2020!

Source: pressfrom.info

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

Afterschool programs are now a part of the community landscape. Afterschool has been around for over a hundred years, making important contributions to families and the larger society. 

This next year, under President Trump, federal support of afterschool is again threatened. According to our partners at the Afterschool Alliance: 

“President Trump’s budget calls for eliminating federal funding for local afterschool and summer programs. If the funding is not maintained, nearly two million children and families would be left without reliable afterschool choices.  

More than 19 million families want and need more afterschool and summer learning opportunities. For every child in a program, two are waiting to get in. Closing 10,000+ afterschool programs will hurt families and children in every part of the country. 

You can make a difference: call on Congress to protect funding for afterschool and summer learning programs.”

According to the Trump Administration budget summary, the justification for eliminating the 21st CCLC is, “This program (21st CCLC) lacks strong evidence of meeting its objectives, such as improving student achievement.” Research has shown that this is patently untrue. 

The Afterschool Alliance has made it easy to tell your representatives in Congress to stand up for the programs America's children and families rely on. CLICK HERE

Source: CalSAC

Tracking Federal 21st CCLC Funding

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

We have been following President Trump’s proposed budget which eliminates the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program. 

Below is an update from Lucy Friedman of ExpandEd Schools.

“The House Appropriations Committee voted to pass a spending bill that would cut $2.4 billion from the Department of Education.

Lucy Friedman

While the House bill improved on the Trump Administration proposal by rejecting its shortsighted attempt to completely eliminate the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program, it still results in a $191 million cut from the previous year. Ultimately, the House bill falls short in providing the critical support needed to provide high-quality and evidence-based after-school programming for 1.6 million children in families in high-need communities across the country.”

In California alone, this would result in more than a  $20 million cut to 21st CCLC afterschool programs, with a $10 million cut to high school afterschool programs.

Photo Credit: Long Beach Youth Institute

Ms. Friedman goes on to state, “We hope that the Senate will course correct and provide the necessary supports for critical education programs that help all children succeed. ExpandED Schools and our fellow advocates like Every Hour Counts will continue to keep you abreast of federal policy news and ways you can help. Stay up-to-date on the latest news by signing up here and keep calling your senators to let them know you care about education.”

You can also track the budget process and learn how you can add your input by going to the Afterschool Alliance website. 

_________________________

You can read other blogs by the LIAS project by going to: 

• Expanded Learning 360°/365 Project website
• LIAS Blog Written for the California Afterschool Network

Call or write Congress to support afterschool and summer learning programs

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

During the Bill Clinton presidential administration, Congress approved the first appropriation for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). It was one of the fastest growing social programs in our country’s history. 

President Trump’s budget calls for eliminating funding for the 21st CCLC. It’s now up to Congress. Nearly two million children and families would be left without reliable afterschool choices.

You can make a difference: call on Congress to protect funding for afterschool and summer learning programs. The Afterschool Alliance is urging afterschool advocates to phone their representatives on Wednesday, June 7th but you can call or write anytime. We wrote to Rep. Barbara Lee, and she quickly replied. 

Below are some resources that may be helpful. 

• You can go here to find talking points and suggestions from the Afterschool Alliance to assist you with your call or letter. 

• 21st CCLC Overview Fact sheet

Photo Credit: The Afterschool Alliance

*Please note that calling your representative in Congress to urge them to save 21st CCLC funds is considered lobbying and should not be done during staff hours paid for by 21st CCLC funds. If you have any questions on what you can do to participate, please feel free to reach out to the Afterschool Alliance. 

Afterschool Program Quality and Effectiveness: 25 Years of Results!!

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

It is important that afterschool supporters have access to studies that have shown that afterschool is an effective strategy to support young people’s success in school, work, and life. This is especially important because the Trump Administration has proposed the elimination of the 21st CCLC because they “lack strong evidence of meeting its objectives, such as improving student achievement.”

Are afterschool programs effective? We asked our colleagues at Policy Studies Associates (PSA), a leading organization that has studied this question. Below are remarks from Christina Russell, Managing Director at PSA. 

Christina Russell,
Managing Director at PSA

“Through our partnerships over the last 25 years with afterschool programs throughout the U.S., our evaluation team at PSA has seen that afterschool programs can benefit youth, families, schools, and communities in many ways. We have seen evidence that high-quality afterschool programs:

• Keep students safe
• Engage students in learning
• Improve students’ academic performance
• Develop students’ core competencies for success in life and careers 
• Support working families 
• Are in demand

As the afterschool field has matured, we have evaluated the implementation and impact of various program models, technical assistance interventions, and system-building efforts designed to improve the capacity and quality of programs. The research shows—and programs know—that quality matters. Afterschool providers have engaged in continuous improvement initiatives to become more intentional in program planning and to increase program participation, through internal assessment and tracking systems as well as through external evaluation.

We also know that afterschool programs play important, varying, and evolving roles in education. Effective afterschool programs are not cookie-cutter:  they strategically partner with schools and communities to identify gaps and the priority needs of students, and to design services to meet those needs.  As a result, some programs may focus on strengthening the academic outcomes of students, some on the development of essential life skills, and others on closing the opportunity gap through enriching, experiential experiences that expand the school day.   

Our brief entitled, Afterschool Program Quality and Effectiveness, curates the key, policy-relevant findings on the implementation and effectiveness of afterschool programs. In addition, the brief links to some of our most important reports on afterschool initiatives implemented throughout the U.S. 

We hope that the brief makes our research findings accessible. For any of the topics touched on in the brief, there is a wealth of existing data as well as new questions to be explored, and we encourage you to reach out to discuss how PSA’s evaluation expertise can support your efforts as you continue to advocate for and strengthen afterschool.”

———
Christina Russell is Managing Director at Policy Studies Associates (PSA) and leads studies focused on expanded learning opportunities and their role in promoting positive social and educational outcomes for youth in grades K-12. Ms. Russell also directs evaluation projects designed to inform efforts to improve program quality and capacity. Ms. Russell has extensive experience designing and managing studies that employ both quantitative and qualitative research methods to assess the implementation and impact of education and youth development initiatives.

Advocacy in the Era of Trump, Part 2

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

Throughout its history, afterschool has always had to promote its value and identity around the issues of the day. With each change in the presidential administration, there are risks and opportunities that we should be aware of, and adjust our advocacy accordingly.

President Trump communicated his ideas using very specific language during his campaign and transition. Is there anything we can learn about how best to advocate for afterschool funding? In this new era of Trump, we asked Betsy Brand, Executive Director of the American Youth Policy Forum, and Jodi Grant, Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, about this. Below is part 2 of their responses. See part 1 here.

Q: President Trump also talks a lot about jobs. Do you think it will be important to stress "workforce development" and "workforce skills" that are part of afterschool?

Betsy Brand, AYPF

Betsy Brand: Afterschool programs are natural venues for helping older youth develop knowledge, skills, and abilities that lead to success in the workplace, life, and community. Skills like teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking are all highly valued by employers. Afterschool and summer school programs can help develop those skills. We should not be shy in telling that story.

Jodi Grant,
Afterschool Alliance

Jodi Grant: Absolutely. Many of the character education, social emotional learning and youth development skills that afterschool programs focus on are just as essential to workforce preparation. Making that connection for people — framing those skills and this learning as workforce development — makes a lot of sense. The same is true for all the opportunities provided to our youth to learn about, intern, apprentice in the community, and even work as part of their afterschool programs. That’s why the National Afterschool Summit, to be held at the University of Southern California on April 5th, will focus on making sure our students are ready to work. 

Photo Credit: Youth Institute, Long Beach 

Q: The "red" rural counties were strong supporters of President Trump. Do you think that promoting access to afterschool in rural areas is important, given the new political climate? 

Betsy Brand: Promoting access to high quality afterschool in rural communities is not a red or blue issue – it’s an issue of fairness and accessibility. The challenge is that many rural communities don’t have lots of afterschool providers like suburbs and cities, so it is hard to provide engaging, high quality afterschool programs. State afterschool, education, and youth leaders can work with rural communities to help develop their capacity to better serve youth and ensure they have opportunities for meaningful participation in the non-school hours.

Photo Credit: Brilliant Maps

Jodi Grant: Promoting access to rural areas has always been vital and, in fact, the Afterschool Alliance has issued several reports, including one just last year, America After 3PM Special Report: The Growing Importance of Afterschool in Rural Communities, highlighting the unique challenges students and parents in rural America face in their pursuit of high quality afterschool programs.  We hope that the President and Secretary DeVos will embrace afterschool as a way to enhance education in rural America.  

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URGENT UPDATE FROM THE AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE
"President Trump has just unveiled his budget priorities—and his plan singles out afterschool funding for elimination." To learn more, click here. 


LIAS will also be posting a blog on these developments.

Advocacy in the Era of Trump, Part 1

By Sam Piha

Sam  Piha

Throughout its history, afterschool has always had to promote its value and identity around the issues of the day. With each change in the Presidential administration, there are risks and opportunities that we should be aware of, and adjust our advocacy accordingly.

President Trump communicated his ideas using very specific language during his campaign and transition. Is there anything we can learn about how best to advocate for afterschool funding? In this new era of Trump, we asked Betsy Brand, Executive Director of the American Youth Policy Forum, and Jodi Grant, Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, about this. Below is part 1 of their responses. 

Q: The new President appears to have a high regard for law enforcement. Law enforcement officials were strong advocates at the federal and state level for afterschool. Do you envision that we will again engage law enforcement organizations in the effort to preserve the federal 21st CCLC funding?

Betsy Brand, AYPF

Betsy Brand: As the new Administration focuses on improving safety in our communities, it seems a natural step to talk about how afterschool programs involve youth in positive and engaging activities, in the non-school hours. Law enforcement can be an important advocate for 21st CCLC funding and effective partners that bring valuable skills and resources to the table, not just in this political climate but anytime.

Jodi Grant,
Afterschool Alliance

Jodi Grant: Law enforcement officials have been strong partners for afterschool all along because they recognize how important it is for youth to engage constructively with their peers and with adults. Across the country a lot of afterschool programs have strong relationships with law enforcement agencies, ranging from Police Athletic League programs to partnerships with local police. One great thing about bringing police officers into programs, often as volunteers, is that it fosters powerful personal relationships that can not only change lives, but change the discourse between police, youth and parents. It’s an example of community policing at its best. 

For more than a year the Afterschool Alliance’s blog has been featuring stories of afterschool programs working with local law enforcement. (The most recent story can be found here.) We value the partnerships not just because of the terrific work that police are doing with kids in afterschool programs, but because it’s so important for the public to understand the reach of afterschool programs. The messenger can be as important as the message, and law enforcement voices are going to be more essential than ever in helping us preserve federal afterschool funding.  

Photo Credit: http://www.stlasap.org/

Q: President Trump talks a lot about crime, safety, and drug abuse. Do you predict that we will need to return to a "deficit" or prevention model to capture his attention to preserve afterschool funding?

Betsy Brand: We should not return to a deficit model, but rather focus on the benefits of afterschool in terms of helping young people find engaging, satisfying, and meaningful activities in which they can participate during the non-school hours and that help them develop skills that lead to success. The deficit model language should be retired once and for all.

Jodi Grant: Afterschool programs are effective and popular because they keep kids safe, help working parents and inspire students to learn. While today, a lot of policymakers think about afterschool in terms of the third prong of that message, it was actually the first two prongs that generated the political will to create a federal funding stream for afterschool. Students spend 80 percent of their waking hours outside school and they are always learning – every minute. So the question is: What will we teach them? They can learn skills at an afterschool program that will help them succeed in school, at work and in life or, if we leave them unsupervised, they can engage in activities that are inappropriate, dangerous or even illegal, and learn a very different set of lessons. As the President focuses on crime, drug abuse and other ills in our society, it is important for us to highlight the impact that afterschool has in teaching the right lessons and in preventing inappropriate behavior in our students.  

From a communications standpoint, if highlighting negative consequences can help us build support to provide resources to the 11.3 million children who go home alone each day and are unsupervised when they get there, then it is worth making that argument. 

Once we have our students in a safe place, we can do so much more to inspire them to get out of their comfort zones and achieve dreams that might not have been possible before. 

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URGENT UPDATE FROM THE AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE
"President Trump has just unveiled his budget priorities—and his plan singles out afterschool funding for elimination." To learn more, click here. 

LIAS will also be posting a blog on these developments.

Trump, DeVos, and Afterschool: An Interview with the Afterschool Alliance

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

In a previous blog post entitled, President Trump and Afterschool, we reached out to Betsy Brand, Executive Director of the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) and Gina Warner, Executive Director of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) to share their thoughts on the threats and opportunities in afterschool going forward. Below is an interview with Jodi Grant of the Afterschool Alliance on this same topic, including a question about the newly confirmed Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos. 

Jodi Grant, Executive Director
Afterschool Alliance

Q: What can we expect from the new presidential administration around afterschool/expanded learning programs? 
A: The new administration has not made any public comments about afterschool and expanded learning. For this reason it is more important than ever that we all reach out to members of the administration to educate them about the value of learning outside the school day and remind them that students spend 80% of their waking hours outside school. New education proposals should also include support for afterschool and summer.

Q: What can we expect of the newly confirmed Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos?
A: Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has shown some interest in afterschool. As a philanthropist she invested in Boys and Girls Clubs and in a research study for Campfire USA. In response to a written question from Senator Al Franken after her hearing she responded:

Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education
Photo Credit: npr.org

“After-school programs are critical to the safety and continued learning for many students.  There are many programs offered by wonderful local community groups and schools that offer valuable opportunities for learning.  As you noted, the Every Student Succeeds Act included the reauthorization of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, a program that helps to provide after-school services to many children.  If confirmed, I will implement the law as intended and funded by Congress, including the 21st Century Community Learning Centers.”



Q: In looking ahead to a new presidential administration, are there any opportunities that we should be aware of and how can the afterschool movement embrace these opportunities? 
A: During his campaign, candidate Trump embraced a tax cut for childcare. This tax cut, geared towards middle class families, can be used for afterschool programs and that is a promising sign.  In addition, President Trump has been a longtime member of the Board of the New York City Police Athletic League, which could be viewed as a sign of support for afterschool programs.

Afterschool is an education priority consistent with many of the priorities of the new Administration including support for rural America. Rural communities are unlikely to benefit from an investment in vouchers and charter schools. But they will benefit from afterschool and we have many rural communities that rely on 21st CCLC and afterschool to inspire their students and help working parents keep their jobs.  In addition, we all know that afterschool programs make our kids and all our communities safer.

Photo Credit: summermatters.net

We hope our recent report on the needs and challenges of afterschool programs in Rural America will help persuade the new administration to do more.

We also see synergy between afterschool and the incoming Administration’s emphasis on jobs, workforce development and economic growth: afterschool and summer learning programs for older youth can play a key role in providing work and life skills while also helping parents keep their jobs and their children safe.

Q: What should we be prepared to do to ensure ongoing support for afterschool/expanded learning?
A: The new Administration wants to give parents more educational options for students; and school-community partnerships, faith based providers and community based organizations that offer quality summer and afterschool programs can be part of that broad range of supports that maximize the potential of young people.

The gravest danger to afterschool in 2017 will be funding. Congress and the Trump administration are discussing drastic cuts to education spending. It will be essential to reach out to members of Congress to make sure they protect funding for afterschool and summer programs. We need to use the data and examples we have that show these programs save money by investing in our youth now. 

Our field needs to rally constituents to tell each member of Congress why programs are so important to students and families in their district. The message of crime prevention and discouraging inappropriate and unwanted behavior is also a powerful message. Most of all, don’t forget the most important messengers, the students themselves. When they speak they can energize a room with their authenticity and show rather than tell why afterschool investments are essential in every community in our country.

—————
Jodi Grant, Executive Director, Afterschool Alliance
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality, affordable afterschool programs. Jodi oversees all aspects of the Afterschool Alliance’s work, including supervising research, and creating and expanding quality afterschool programs. 

Jodi Grant at the How Kids Learn VI Conference,
San Francisco 2016

At our recent How Kids Learn VI conference in San Francisco, Jodi reviewed the important findings of the Afterschool Alliance report entitled, America After 3pm Special Report: Afterschool in Communities of Concentrated Poverty.

President Trump and Afterschool

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

Over the last three presidential administrations, we have enjoyed federal investments in 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). However, we know that public support and investments come with a “shelf life”. It is important that we advocate for the continued federal investment in afterschool programs. 

With the new presidential administration and congress, there are both threats and opportunities we should be aware of. Below, we reached out to Betsy Brand, Executive Director of the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) and Gina Warner, Executive Director of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) to share their thoughts on this. In future blog posts, we will keep our readers informed including information from the Afterschool Alliance and the Partnership for Children and Youth. 

Betsy Brand,
AYPF

Q: What can we expect from the new presidential administration around afterschool/expanded learning programs? 
A: I think it’s unlikely that there will be much attention focused on afterschool/expanded learning with this Administration, unless it becomes linked to an agenda on expanding child care or as a way to reduce teen delinquency. 

There is a chance that afterschool could play a role in the school choice debates by allowing parents the freedom to select programs that meet the needs of their children, but I think that’s somewhat unlikely, too. The biggest challenge for discretionary programs will be the budget and appropriations. If this Administration increases spending for infrastructure, defense, and due to health care changes, there will be very little money for domestic discretionary programs like 21st CCLC. I believe we are going to see major appropriations battles over the next few years with regard to Labor-HHS-Ed and other domestic programs.

Q: What should we be prepared to do to ensure ongoing support for afterschool/expanded learning?
A: It’s time to make sure that advocates are busy contacting their Senators and Representatives. They are the ones that will have to hold the line on cuts to 21st CCLC and other programs that support afterschool and expanded learning. The positive thing is that afterschool already deserves very wide and bi-partisan support in Congress. We need to build on that and ensure that new members and new staff continue to hear how important afterschool is from their constituents – over and over again.

Photo Credit: saveafterschool.com

Ms. Warner focused her thoughts on the possible opportunities that come with the new President. Below are her thoughts.

Gina Warner,
NAA

Q: In looking ahead to a new presidential administration, are there any opportunities that we should be aware of and how can the afterschool movement embrace these opportunities? 
A: I spent a large portion of my career working in New Orleans, Louisiana, the city that leads the nation with the largest percentage of students enrolled in public charter schools. As the leader of the city's afterschool intermediary for many years, I have a lot of experience building positive partnerships between afterschool providers and school leaders. Those experiences give me hope that afterschool can—and will—play a meaningful role in the growth of school choice.

Here are four things I know:

1. Afterschool is choice.
Inherent in many of the discussions about school choice is the belief that parents and children should have the ability to choose an educational environment that best meets their needs. Every day, 10.2 million children choose to participate in afterschool programs that enhance their academic, social, emotional and physical development. We need to embrace this message and begin to view it as central to our mission of growing afterschool investment.

2. Strong school leaders value afterschool.
High-quality afterschool programs positively impact school attendance, behavior and coursework. Strong school leaders see a high-quality afterschool program as an integral part of delivering successful outcomes for their students.

3. Strong afterschool programs drive student enrollment.
In cities like New Orleans and Washington, D.C.—where there is a competitive marketplace of educational options for families—those schools offering afterschool programs are viewed much more favorably by families and are often the schools with the longest waiting lists for admission.

4. Both in school and out of school, quality matters.
Just creating more choices is not sufficient to ensure the outcomes we want and need for all of our children. We must invest in the people that do this work, so they can continue to deliver high-quality learning and enrichment experiences for all children before, during and after the school day.

I will continue to advocate for increased investment in afterschool, because I believe in the positive benefits of strong afterschool programs for children, families and communities. Investments in school choice cannot come at the expense of investments in creating greater access to high-quality afterschool programs. I am hopeful that by working together—with a shared vision of success for all—afterschool can and will be a part of a growing school choice landscape.

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Betsy Brand has served as the Executive Director of AYPF since 2004, and she served as Co-Director of the organization since 1998. Betsy has spent her career working on education, workforce, and youth policy and specializes in comprehensive approaches to helping young people be prepared for today’s careers, lifelong learning, and civic engagement.

Gina Warner was named President and CEO of the National AfterSchool Association in June 2012. NAA - the voice of the afterschool profession – has over 20,000 members across the country and hosts the most comprehensive program of professional development opportunities for afterschool professionals anywhere in the United States.

Saving 21st CCLC Funding

By Sam Piha

Sam Piha

Members of the US Senate are, again, threatening funding for the 21st CCLC program. The funding would be consolidated into a block grant available to school districts to use for multiple purposes.

To oppose this, the New York State Afterschool Network  (NYSAN) advises “Taking action is FREE and generates IMMEDIATE RESULTS!

• Call your two senators and your representative! Calls take about 30 seconds and they matter. Offices track how many calls they get about each issue – we need more calls supporting 21^st CCLC! All you have to say to the receptionist is 'Please maintain funding for 21^st Century Community Learning Centers in the ESEA reauthorization.' That’s it! You can call again weekly to maximize your impact.

• Email congress too! Offices also track the emails they get on each issue.

• Use social media to get others involved: Twitter: #Afterschoolworks for kids b/c of #21stCCLC & Congress proposed eliminating this $$. Take action! http://bit.ly/1zbayyT #Save21st

• Forward this email to your contacts! Program staff, parents, grandparents, and even participants can make a difference!"

Afterschool advocates have recommended that rather than focusing on the negative evidence that is being cited by 21st CCLC opponents, familiarize yourself and make use of the evaluation literature that supports the effectiveness of 21st CCLCs. You can go to the Afterschool Alliance website to find important research. 

We reached out to Jodi Grant, Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, to gather additional evaluation information. She replied:

“Here are the specific findings from other evaluations you can point to:

Jodi Grant, ED
Afterschool Alliance

• An evaluation of Texas 21^st Century Community Learning Centers found that the program positively impacted students’ school day performance. Students attending the program—both students with low levels and high levels of participation in the program— were more likely to be promoted to the next grade. The likelihood of being promoted to the next grade increased by 43 percent for students with low levels of participation in the program, and 47 percent for students with high levels of participation. Additionally, ACE students saw improvements in their Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) reading and math scores. (American Institutes for Research, 2013)

• Students regularly attending Washington’s 21^st CCLC afterschool programs saw improvements in their reading and math achievement, as well as a positive impact on their overall GPA, compared to their non-participating peers. (American Institutes for Research, 2014)

• A statewide longitudinal evaluation of the After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) program—California’s high school component of the 21^st CCLC program— found that students participating in the ASSETs program received higher ELA and math assessment scores, and performed better on the ELA and math sections of the CAHSEE than non-participants. (CRESST, 2012)

• Teachers of students participating in Wisconsin 21^st CCLC programs reported more than two-thirds improved their class participation, 60 percent saw improvements in their motivation to learn and 55 percent improved their behavior in class. Teachers also reported that 48 percent of students improved in volunteering for extra credit or responsibility. (Wisconsin Department of Instruction, 2014)

These are just a few studies that show that 21^st CCLC programs work.”

She also suggested this fact sheet and a briefing paper on afterschool evaluations.