Funding freeze imposed by Education Department threatens essential summer schools and language programs, vital resources for families
A funding freeze on the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) federal program has put at risk a wide network of afterschool and summer programs that serve low-income and working families nationwide. The U.S. Department of Education has paused grant disbursements and withheld Grant Award Notifications pending a review by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), potentially impacting up to $7 billion in education funding.
This suspension has had a devastating effect on nonprofit learning centers and schools, particularly those serving low-income families. In Utah, for instance, 21st CCLC funding constitutes approximately 40% of all public funding for afterschool and summer programs, supporting around 10,000 children. The loss of these funds threatens to reduce or eliminate programs that hundreds of families depend on, exacerbating an ongoing child care crisis in the state.
In Pueblo, Colorado, the funding freeze threatens services for 832 youth at six out of nine afterschool sites funded by 21st CCLC grants. These programs provide free care and enrichment vital for working parents, with the funding loss jeopardizing program staff positions, local economic activity, and efforts to improve academic performance and reduce juvenile crime.
Many schools and community organizations are facing uncertainty about their ability to operate during summer and beyond, as this funding freeze disrupts the continuity of educational and enrichment services for vulnerable students. Leaders in affected programs describe the freeze as "punishing a whole lot of students" and forcing them to seek alternative funds to keep programs running for critical youth support.
One such organization is Aspire Afterschool Learning in Virginia, which works with outside organisations to use federal grants to run after-school care or offer academic support for children from low-income families. Aspire serves many low-income families, with 99% of its students being from families of colour, more than 90% living below the poverty line, and over three-quarters speaking a language other than English at home.
The pause in funding for Aspire Afterschool Learning and other programs came from the White House OMB. Some two dozen Democratic-led states have sued the Department of Education in federal court to release the funds. The Department of Education has paused the grant that Aspire Afterschool Learning depends on, putting the program in a state of uncertainty.
One student who benefits from Aspire's programs is April, a rising 4th grader who said that the organization helped her with her English, and now she even helps translate for her parents. Another student, Monserrat from Bolivia, entering 4th grade in the fall, joined Aspire a year ago and said she likes it more than her regular school because she feels more competent and gets extra support.
Kids who participate in Aspire's programs earn points for academic and social achievements, and the program regularly sends home any leftover food to families in the program who would otherwise go without. If the funds are not released, up to 926 Boys & Girls Club centers, serving more than 220,000 kids, could be forced to close.
The halt in funding for Aspire Afterschool Learning and other programs has been met with criticism from education leaders. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union, said the freeze of funds already approved by Congress for this summer is particularly damaging and "hurts children and creates chaos."
OMB alleged that some funds were used to promote "leftwing" ideologies, citing examples of misuse in New York, Washington state, and unspecified seminars on "queer resistance in the arts." However, when asked by CNN, OMB did not provide documentation to support these claims.
As schools and communities brace for deeper impacts in the fall, many summer programs are scrambling to stay open due to the funding freeze. Sylvia, a single mother who works as a janitor and is the sole breadwinner for her family, which includes her 10-year-old son and her ailing mother, is among those who rely on these programs. Sylvia's son attends a free learning program during the summer, Aspire Afterschool Learning, in Arlington, Virginia.
- The temporary halt on 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) funding affects various education and self-development programs, as seen in Utah and Pueblo, Colorado, where it threatens the services of thousands of children who rely on these programs.
- With funding constituting a significant portion of afterschool and summer programs, the suspension of 21st CCLC grants puts personal growth and academic success at risk for low-income families, also impacting efforts to reduce juvenile crime and improve local economies.
- The funding freeze has led to uncertainties for schools and community organizations, such as Aspire Afterschool Learning in Virginia, which aims to provide academic support for low-income students and strives to improve their competence in English and other subjects.
- The ongoing legal battle in federal court between Democratic-led states and the Department of Education is centered around the unfreezing of vital funding for programs like Aspire Afterschool Learning, as the lack of grant disbursements endangers policy and legislation that affect the education of numerous children and the broader community.
