CA Budget: California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance Responds to Governor’s 2023-24 May Revise
In response to the Governor’s revised budget proposal for 2023-24, the California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance (CA3) issued this statement:
We appreciate the Governor's recognition and ongoing commitment to expanded learning (afterschool and summer learning programs) as a central strategy to close opportunity gaps and implement the California for All Kids plan. With this updated budget proposal, the Governor keeps his promise to students and families by maintaining the $4 billion in ongoing funding to the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P).“That $4B commitment–unprecedented–to fully fund before and afterschool, and reimagining the school year and school day, that full commitment continues," the Governor said while highlighting these investments.
As ELO-P ramps up, we are seeing success and innovation: districts are serving significantly more kids after school, in the summer, and during other school breaks; parents are no longer contending with long waitlists; and students have more access to academic and social-emotional support and enrichment opportunities like sports, robotics, cooking, arts, music, and many more activities than ever before. Programs help re-engage students and their families in school and keep students safe and out of trouble. This much-needed funding is new and school districts and community partners need time, resources, and technical assistance to blend and braid ELO-P with existing afterschool and summer learning funding, as well as strengthen their infrastructure in order to expand and create the most impactful programs possible. For some districts, ELO-P is the only funding stream for these programs and they are building new programs for the first time.
The biggest challenge in implementation is the workforce shortage—program providers are working hard to retain and build their workforce in the face of increased inflation and cost of living, and are struggling to keep and find talented staff without being able to offer competitive wages. Expanded learning programs compete for young workers against industries that are able to pass the increased costs onto customers, such as retail and fast food. Expanded learning providers receive relatively flat funding without regular cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) and have limited options to absorb increased costs. This creates a revolving door of workers, which is not in the best interest of children, who need consistency and high-quality care. We hope the Governor and the Legislature will invest in the full educator and care workforce by including expanded learning workers in this year's COLAs alongside schools and every other educational categorical program. Like child care programs, afterschool programs enable parents to remain in the workforce while supporting and engaging children and youth in safe settings with caring adults, but funding rates have not kept up with rising costs to meet demand.
Existing afterschool programs, through the After School Education and Safety (ASES) and 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programs, were left out of the Governor’s proposed 8.22% COLA for the Local Control Funding Formula, child care, and nearly all other educational categorical programs. We appreciate that the Governor’s proposal does not reduce funding for ASES and 21st CCLC programs, but some of these programs do not receive ELO-P funding and need more than $10.18 per student per day from the state in order to hire the workforce they need to run quality programming. Research shows that a quality afterschool program costs between $14.40 and $40.95 per student per day depending on the region.
We support the Governor’s proposal to give school districts an additional year to use their initial ELO-P funding. We can already see the positive impact of ELO-P on our students, their families, and schools. That said, it is essential that the state put in place assurances that this money is used for its intended purpose of providing hundreds of hours of additional learning time and enrichment programming in a safe place for kids after the school day ends, especially for those who would not otherwise have access. It is critical to collect information on the impact of ELO-P statewide and to ensure this funding reaches the students who need it most.
Students from elementary through high school are still struggling from the effects and trauma of the pandemic. They are relying on us to keep our promises to help them recover and thrive by maintaining and expanding the programs that have positive effects on their learning, health, and wellness. We are grateful that the Governor and the Legislature understand the value of expanded learning programs. We must now work together to ensure that this investment is successful and help school districts and program providers with the massive undertaking of implementation.
ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA AFTERSCHOOL ADVOCACY ALLIANCE
California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance (CA3) is the statewide voice for expanded learning, including afterschool and summer learning programs. CA3 is a coalition of 35 expanded learning providers and intermediaries from across the state representing the interests of hundreds of thousands of children, youth, and families who rely on publicly funded expanded learning programs throughout California, as well as the vibrant and dynamic workforce that makes these programs so special. ca3advocacy.com
CALIFORNIA AFTERSCHOOL ADVOCACY ALLIANCE MEMBERS
A World Fit for Kids; After-School All-Stars, Los Angeles; arc; BASE Programs; Bay Area Community Resources; Bright Futures for Youth; California AfterSchool Network; California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs; California School-Age Consortium; California State Alliance of YMCAs; California Teaching Fellows Foundation; Children Now; Community Youth Ministries; EDMO; EduCare Foundation; Envisioneers; Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; Great Public Schools Now; Heart of Los Angeles; Innovate Public Schools; InPlay; Keep Youth Doing Something Inc.; LA's BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program; LA Boys and Girls Clubs Collaborative; LA Conservation Corps; LA STEM Collective; Mission: Readiness; Partnership for Children & Youth; Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center; STAR Inc.; Team Prime Time; The Children's Initiative; Think Together; Woodcraft Rangers; YMCA of San Diego County
Contact
Jen Dietrich, jdietrich@partnerforchildren.org, (510) 830-4200 x1615