The state budget has passed and there is a lot of excitement around the rate increase for the After School Education and Safety (ASES) grant and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant. The Expanded Learning Division is working diligently behind the scenes with other divisions and staff from the Assembly and Senate to obtain clarity on some of the issues with all aspects of the budget for expanded learning, including the rate increase and the new Expanded Learning Opportunities program. As soon as we have more information this will be communicated to the field.

In addition, there was a major change to the ASES Education Code Section 8482.6 that is effective as of July 9, 2021, as amended on July 12, 2021, regarding charging family fees. Prior to this change, a program only had to waive the fees for homeless and foster youth. This change in education code added language that requires programs to also waive  fees for students who are eligible for free and reduced priced meals. This restriction for charging fees to homeless, foster youth, and students eligible for free and reduced priced meals, applies to program registration fees and all other program related fees.

As Amends the Law on July 12, 2021

8482.6.

Every pupil attending a school operating a program pursuant to this article is eligible to participate in the program, subject to program capacity. A program established pursuant to this article may charge family fees. Programs that charge family fees shall waive the cost of these fees for pupils who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, for a child that is a homeless youth, as defined by the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a), or for a child who the program knows is in foster care. 

[For all other participants] A program that charges family fees shall schedule fees on a sliding scale that considers family income and ability to pay.

As a reminder, the Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) recently sent out an eblast titled “Attendance Reporting Starting July 1, 2021, and Other Information.” At the conclusion of the 2022 Calendar Year, the EXLD will review attendance for grant reductions and the 75 percent requirement. Please see the attachment for the previously sent eblast. 

If there are any questions in regards to the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program please send them to expandedlearningn@cde.ca.gov