Afterschool Programs in Peril
In communities from coast to coast, afterschool programs are making a huge difference, keeping children safe, inspiring them to learn, and helping their working parents. Understanding that schools alone won't address all of our children's needs, afterschool programs complement and supplement the school day, often coordinating closely with teachers and principals to help students succeed. Support for quality afterschool programs is needed more than ever, yet the Department of Education is embracing policies that could devastate afterschool funding and the partnerships that make them so strong. Read more…
Lehigh Valley Educators Warn Legislators about State's Cuts to School Funding
The Bethlehem school community stepped up when state budget cuts decimated local schools and social services. Local educators warned state legislators that the well is running dry and trouble looms if the state doesn’t step up and fulfill its responsibilities. Read more...
Final 2012 Appropriations Update
On Saturday, December 17, 2011 Congress completed work on the FY2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act with the Senate approving the measure by a vote of 67 to 32. The legislation includes the Fiscal Year 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Read more…
‘No Child’ Rewrite Won’t Happen During 112th Congress, Miller Says
By Lauren Smith, CQ Staff
House Republicans are abandoning bipartisan talks about rewriting the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind, according to the top Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee. Read more…
State Policy and Funding
Afterschool Champion state Rep. Jake Wheatley sponsored House Resolution 824 in 2008, which called on the joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) to prepare a report on the availability and affordability of afterschool programs in the commonwealth. The 2009 LBFC Report on Afterschool Programs in Pennsylvania recommended the creation of a Statewide Afterschool Coordinating Council to study and propose policy recommendations to improve access to affordable, high-quality afterschool programs. PSAYDN is reaching out to Governor Tom Corbett to create the council through executive order.
Building Relationships with your Local Legislators
It is hard to watch the news or listen to local talk radio and not hear about state and federal spending or deficits. The intense rhetoric surrounding state and federal budget cuts is not likely to end any time soon, so to ensure that vulnerable children and youth still have a safe place to go after school, participate in fun or challenging activities, and receive extra learning opportunities, your voice as an afterschool provider will be essential.
But before you can ask your state and federal legislators to do something, they need to meet you and see for themselves why afterschool is so important to your community. Simple strategies are provided for you to utilize and engage your local policymakers to build champions for afterschool both in Harrisburg and Washington, DC.
Click here for more information on how to the lay the foundation for building a relationship with your legislators and the actual meet and greet.
Afterschool Report Released from Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
House Resolution 824 of 2008 (Sponsored by Representative Jake Wheatley) called on the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LB&FC) to assess the availability and affordability of afterschool programs in the Commonwealth. On July 9, 2009, Philip Durgin, Executive Director of the LB&FC, summarized the findings of the Afterschool Report at the LB&FC Meeting.
Major findings included:
- No commonly accepted definition for what constitutes an afterschool program
- Public funding for afterschool programs is primarily directed to low-income families with children ages 6-12
- A variance in cost of afterschool programs (between $450 to $7,000 per child per year)
- Transportation is generally not provided
- Difficulty in engaging teenagers in structured afterschool programs
- Level of demand for additional afterschool programming is difficult to quantify
- Most areas of PA do not have comprehensive information systems to help parents find afterschool programs
- Afterschool programs have difficulty establishing themselves as a recognizable system
- States vary in their approach to afterschool program funding and planning
Recommendations from the report findings suggested the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC) work with the Governor’s Office and legislative leaders to create a Statewide Afterschool Coordinating Council to do the following:
- Identify goals and action steps to address already-identified issues
- Promote additional web-based regional databases of afterschool programs
- Identify and promote potential new funding sources
- Assess local needs and barriers to afterschool programs, especially for adolescents
PSAYDN looks forward to supporting the full implementation of the recommendations outlined above and will continue to provide informative updates to the Network members.
To view the full LB&FC report, click here.
To view PowerPoint Summary (courtesy of Bill Bartle, PA Partnerships for Children), please click here.
Sounding a Voice for Pennsylvania Afterschool and Youth Development Programs: Tools and Resources to Continue Your Advocacy Efforts
- Three fact sheets focused on Pennsylvania advocacy information, Pennsylvania after 3 PM and afterschool/youth development strategies.
- Federal and state advocacy budget timelines
- Media outreach and tips to help effectively advocate for your program.
Download your copy of the Afterschool Toolkit now
Download a copy of the sample letters (Word format)
