CAN Policy Newsletter – Back to School!
September 5, 2019
For many of us school is back in session which is a great time to kick off your advocacy efforts. Our state legislature and Congress are also back in the swing of things and making crucial decisions that impact our youth.
Last Friday, AB 1085 (McCarty), which would help ensure that a portion of tax revenue from legal cannabis sales go to afterschool programs serving grades K-12 to prevent and reduce youth substance use, passed out of Senate Appropriations Committee with a 7-0 vote. Be sure to take to social media this week to thank our Senators for their support and Assemblymember McCarty for his continued role as a champion of after school! More details to come soon – be sure to follow CAN and Save After School on Twitter to stay in the loop.
In This Newsletter:
Budget Signed, What’s Next?
The state budget signed by Governor Newsom includes $50 million
in additional funding for state after school
programs because of YOU. Thank you for raising your voice to
help children succeed in school and support working parents who
depend on publicly funded after school programs for quality child
care.
The funding in the budget provides temporary relief to keep after
school programs open this year, but it falls short of
what programs need to provide high-quality service in future
years.
CA Afterschool & Summer Challenge – Registration Opening Soon
March 9-10, 2020
Rally to save after school!
Join us March 9-10, 2020 in Sacramento for the 16th Annual California Afterschool & Summer Challenge.
Stand with hundreds of students, families, and afterschool providers to demand adequate support for publicly-funded programs. Help us ensure the Governor and legislature keep children learning and parents working! Learn more.
Tell Congress: Families Need After School!
President Trump’s budget calls for eliminating federal funding for local afterschool and summer programs. If the funding is not maintained, nearly two million children and families would be left without reliable afterschool choices. The House of Representatives has rejected that proposal and instead passed an increase that will allow 100,000 more children to access local afterschool and summer learning programs funded by the 21st Century Community Learning Center initiative.
Share Your After School Success Story with Senators
With Congress returning this month, the first thing on their agenda will be passing fiscal year 2020 spending bills. Now is the time to make the case to Senate appropriators about the importance and value of federal support for afterschool and summer learning programs.
How you can share the importance of afterschool programs:
Join us in Celebrating the 20th Lights On Afterschool
Start Planning Your Event Today!
This October 24 marks the 20th Lights On Afterschool!
Lights On is the only nationwide event celebrating afterschool programs and their important role in the lives of children, families, and communities. It is a great opportunity to keep our momentum going, raise more awareness in your community, and help mobilize support for afterschool at the local, state, and federal levels! Legislators will be in their districts, looking for ways to connect with the community.