Tell CA legislators to fulfill the promise of after school for all

We have an unprecedented opportunity to ensure that students and families have the resources they need to recover and thrive. Let’s make sure CA lawmakers prioritize after school recovery and fulfill the promise of high quality after school for all!

--------------------------------------------------------------

To: Governor Newsom, Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon, Senate Leader Toni Atkins, Assemblymember Phil Ting, Senator Nancy Skinner, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty, Senator John Laird, Senator Connie Leyva, Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, Assemblymember Patrick O’ Donnell, Assemblymember Kevin Kiley

The California Legislature committed $5 billion over the next 5 years to after school programming in last year’s budget package. Now it is time to ensure this historic funding will deliver on the Governor’s promise of after school for all students. Parents and community-based organizations worked tirelessly to make this happen and are now closely watching the implementation of the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program and Grants in their local districts.

Since the passing of the 2021-2022 budget, Innovate parents and families across the state have held meetings with local districts, community based organizations, statewide policymakers and the California Department of Education. Parents have noticed challenges in implementation and it is imperative that the promise of “after school for all” stays at the forefront of legislative conversations. We are California families asking you to prioritize the following as you start discussing next year’s budget and policy changes:

After school providers across the state are struggling to hire and retain staff. Without these essential workers, we will not be able to expand after school for all students. After school providers need a living wage.
Expand access to after school to middle and high school students. The ELO Program currently only serves TK-6 students. Middle and high school students also need this support.
Many students and especially low-income students and students of color are continuing to fall behind. These students need individualized support and tutoring is an effective way to help students catch up. There is currently no dedicated source of funding for tutoring, yet high quality, high-dosage tutoring is a proven way to address unfinished learning. Next year, we need a dedicated source of funding for tutoring to help students recover and close the gap between families that can afford tutoring and families that cannot.
There are currently no mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of how Expanded Learning Opportunities Program funds are used. We also learned that in many districts there was limited or a lack of stakeholder engagement in deciding how funds should be spent. Parents ask for accountability and transparency in how funds are spent to ensure effectiveness and that they are reaching the kids most impacted by the pandemic.

We have an unprecedented opportunity to support students and families. As you celebrate the holidays with families and loved ones, we hope that you will remember the needs of parents and families across California as you plan for your work in Sacramento next year.

Sincerely,

Parents of the Future of California

Innovate Public School Parent Leader Teams and Partners