CAN Policy Newsletter – We Need Your Voices!
May 22, 2020
Last week California Governor Gavin Newsom released his revised state budget proposal. While we appreciate the Governor for his leadership in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and appreciate the difficult decisions involved with balancing the budget in the current climate, his proposed cut to afterschool programs would be a huge setback for children and families in California who are already disproportionately affected by the current crisis.
These families depend on afterschool programs to provide critical care and support for their children, which will be even more vital as parents go back to work and students are likely on adjusted school schedules. With the proposed cuts, many programs will be forced to scale back services for students and may be forced to close altogether. One thing is clear: fewer students and families will be served at the very moment they need these programs most.
Below you will find further information and resources to help you advocate on behalf of these programs that are necessary to support the restart of the California Economy and provide a safety net for our most vulnerable and impacted communities.
As we encourage you to speak up and advocate during these times we know there are a lot of questions about advocacy, what it really means, and what you as individuals and organizations are allowed to do. To that end we wanted to share this excerpt from CalSAC walking through some basics around advocacy:
Legislators and their staff need information about afterschool and school-age child care issues to make educated decisions. You can help them make programs stronger and more accessible to all children and youth by educating legislators on the effects of policy on the programs you’re involved in.
- Legislators are interested in the opinions of their constituents. Legislators will take you seriously because you are not only an advocate and someone with specific on-the-ground knowledge, but, just as importantly, a constituent. As a constituent, legislators count on you to give input on how tax dollars are spent.
- We can’t afford NOT to have your legislator be informed on these important issues! Decisions by the legislature affect your programs. It’s vital that you have a say in the process that determines funding, policy and regulations for your programs.
- Nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organizations and government fund grantees are legally allowed to advocate, and educate legislators or any elected official. As a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) organization, you are legally allowed to advocate, educate and lobby your legislator or any elected official. Grantees may also engage in advocacy. Procedures for obtaining permission vary by school district.
To learn more visit the CalSAC website!
Thank you for all your support and work as we continue to advocate on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of students and their families for increased funding and supports for afterschool!
In This Newsletter:
CA Budget: Devastating Cuts Place Thousands of Children & Families at Risk
Monday, May 18, 2020
Last Thursday, May 14, Governor Newsom released
his updated
budget proposal. While we agreed with his statements about
the need to mitigate learning losses, provide social and
emotional support to students, and keep our public education
system strong, his proposed $100 million cut to afterschool
programs would be a huge setback for children and families in
California who are already disproportionately affected by the
current crisis. CA3
issued this statement in response.
This is not yet a done deal: we still have allies in the
legislature working to protect families and the programs they
count on every day. In fact, when we fought for
critical afterschool funding in the past, increases came from the
legislature, not the governor’s budget.
Take Action on the Budget Today!
Last week Governor Newsom released his updated budget proposal, which proposed to cut funding for afterschool programs by $100 million. Things are moving quickly and we have limited time to convince legislators to protect this critical funding for afterschool programs and the children and families they serve every day.
Take Action: Everyone
Elected officials need to hear directly from you about what the
proposed cuts to afterschool funding would mean to you, your
family, and your community.
Afterschool staff, parents, and supporters: Text
“Afterschool” to 52886 or click
here to contact the Education Budget Committee leaders.
CA3 on the Governor’s Proposed Budget
Fireside Chat: May 21, 2020
The California AfterSchool Network is hosting weekly intervieww with Michael Funk, Division Director for the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division.
In this eighth interview we are joined by Jen Dietrich from California Afterschool Advocacy Alliance, also known as CA3, to talk about the Governor’s May Revise Budget that was released last Thursday and the potential impacts for Expanded Learning in California. We are also joined by CA3 members Malia Villarreal and Mike Snell from the California Teaching Fellows Foundation to speak to the potential budget impacts at a programmatic level.
Everyone can take action to protect our programs: Text “Afterschool” to 52886
For more details visit www.saveafterschool.com.
Field Survey Has Launched to Collect Data on Expanded Learning Services during COVID-19
The Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) of CDE in partnership with CAN and the Glen Price Group has developed a survey for California’s Expanded Learning grantees to discover what services are being offered to students and families during the period of school closures due to COVID-19. We would also like to understand how Expanded Learning programs will be engaged with students and families when campuses reopen, and are working with their school districts regarding plans to reopen.
Survey on COVID-19 Emergency Supplies
Deadline: Tuesday, May 26, 2020
In order to support program providers that are open during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as those that plan to open, the California Department of Education Early Learning and Care Division is assessing the emergency supply needs of Childcare Providers. This survey is for Resource and Referral Agencies supporting Childcare Providers currently open, or those that plan to reopen, during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Expanded Learning programs currently utilizing ASES funds to provide service to children of essential workers or otherwise planning to reopen during the COVID-19 Pandemic are also encouraged to complete the survey.
Please visit the CDE COVID-19 Emergency Supplies webpage to complete the survey.
The CDE wants to take every opportunity for you to receive the health and safety supplies you need as soon as possible. Please complete the survey by Tuesday, May 26, 2020.
The State of the State of Expanded Learning in California 2018-19
The State of the State of Expanded Learning in California 2018-19 provides an overview of the public investment in expanded learning opportunities in California. This year’s report outlines that Expanded Learning programs provide after school and summer learning opportunities to over 980,000 of California’s students with the greatest needs through nearly 4,500 expanded learning programs.
Federal Policy Updates
Check out these recent blogs from the Afterschool Alliance Blog to get caught up!
- HEROES Act passed House, faces uncertainty in Senate
- Child care funds flowing to states now can be used for afterschool
- Making the case at the state and local level for CARES Act education funding to support positive youth development
- WORK NOW Act introduced in Senate would fund nonprofit youth serving orgs
You’re invited: Join us for a week of afterschool advocacy!
We know afterschool and summer learning programs support learning and recovery—let’s tell the rest of the world, too! From May 21 to 28, Afterschool Alliance will be highlighting the many ways providers have risen to the moment during the COVID-19 pandemic and their essential role to play supporting youth and families as we look toward recovery.
Here’s how to participate:
Census 2020 – Be Counted!
Did you know that federal funding for after school programs is determined by the census?
Getting an accurate census count is crucial so the Afterschool Alliance has created a toolkit that makes it easy to learn more and get involved with the census. The Afterschool Alliance is a national advocacy organization dedicated to increasing access to quality, affordable afterschool programs for all children and their families.