This recent EdSource commentary authored Paul Gothold, San Diego County Superintendent of Schools and Jennifer Peck, Executive Director, Partnership for Children and Youth make it clear that “To reopen safely and responsibly, schools need their afterschool partners.” 

On top of creating new visions for instruction and schedules and establishing safety protocols, we must also support students who will return having experienced extreme social disconnection, trauma and significant learning gaps. Afterschool programs are an essential partner in addressing these challenges and we need them to remain intact.

Our publicly funded afterschool programs provide these things to students whose families can’t afford to — and we’ve never needed them more than we do right now.