FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT

Tanner Kelly
714-721-0385
tanner@tkpublicaffairs.com

CA3 Responds to Trump Administration Freeze on Afterschool Funding: “This is a Devastating Betrayal of High School Students”

SACRAMENTO, CA — The California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance (CA3) issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s last-minute decision to withhold billions in Congressionally-approved education funding, including $1.33 billion for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program — the only dedicated federal funding for high school afterschool programs in California:

“This is a devastating betrayal of high school students and families across California. The Trump Administration’s decision to freeze critical afterschool funds at the 11th hour will immediately shutter summer programs, trigger layoffs, and leave tens of thousands of students without meals and safe, structured spaces when they need them most — while working families scramble to find childcare and maintain stable employment.

These are the public’s dollars, appropriately managed locally by the communities who rely on them. These funds were passed by Congress and promised to communities months ago. They are not optional. They are not political bargaining chips. They are lifelines.

California stands to lose over $810 million in combined federal education funding, which represents nearly 17% of our state’s federal education budget, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers-funded programs will lose over $146 million.

In cities like Fresno, Bakersfield, Oakland, and Los Angeles, administrators are already being forced to consider if they will have to cancel youth activities mid-summer, lay off trained staff, and abandon fall hiring plans — all because this Administration failed to release funds that are legally required and universally relied upon.

Let us be clear: California’s youth are not collateral damage. The high school students served by 21st CCLC are striving toward graduation, healing from trauma, reengaging with school, and staying out of harm’s way. These programs save lives — and Congress knew that when it protected them in the federal budget.

CA3 calls on every member of California’s Congressional delegation to demand the immediate release of these funds. It’s time for every federal representative — Democrat or Republican — to stand up for our students, our schools, and our communities. The clock is ticking, and lives are on the line.”

About the California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance (CA3):

The California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance (CA3) is the statewide voice for publicly funded afterschool and summer programs. CA3 represents over 40 afterschool providers throughout the state serving over 100,000 students daily, protecting the interests of students, families, and the expanded learning workforce who rely on these essential programs. The coalition advocates for policies that ensure all California students—especially those in underserved communities—have access to high-quality expanded learning opportunities.