Latest news with #21stCenturyCommunityLearningCentres
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US Education Department releases $1.3 billion for after-school programs after legal and political pressure
The US Department of Education has announced the release of $1.3 billion in federal funding earmarked for after-school and summer programs, bringing partial relief to school districts and nonprofit organisations across the country. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The decision follows mounting political pressure from Republican lawmakers and a legal challenge launched by more than 20 states against the Trump administration's controversial freeze on more than $6 billion in federal education grants. The released amount pertains to the 21st Century Community Learning Centres (CCLC) program, which supports before-school, after-school, and summer enrichment activities, especially in underserved and low-income areas. These programs had been abruptly stalled after the administration initiated a spending review on July 1 to assess whether the grants aligned with federal priorities. What the funding supports The 21st Century CCLC program has long been a key federal initiative designed to provide safe, structured learning opportunities outside regular school hours. It serves millions of children nationwide, especially those from working-class families who depend on free programming for child care, homework help, and enrichment in STEM, arts, and literacy. Beyond academics, the centres also serve as community hubs—offering meals, counselling, and recreation. In many rural and economically marginalised communities, they are the only structured options available to families after school. The $1.3 billion now being released will allow these programs to proceed with hiring, contracts, and scheduling for the 2025–26 academic year. However, many organisations report having already faced severe setbacks, including the loss of staff, cancellation of summer initiatives, and withdrawal of enrolled students due to uncertainty. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Delay triggers nationwide disruption The decision to withhold funding came without prior notice, catching states and districts off guard during a critical planning period. As schools and nonprofits scrambled to adjust budgets and operations, many were forced to cancel fall programming, halt hiring processes, and cut back on planned services. Administrators in several states reported that the two-week delay led to furloughs, reduced staffing for the summer term, and delays in opening registrations for the fall. Some rural and inner-city programs, where budgets operate on razor-thin margins, have already experienced lasting damage. Education advocacy organisations said the temporary freeze had real-world consequences for vulnerable children and families who rely on these services for both academic support and basic care. States push back: Lawsuit filed over $6 billion freeze While the administration's review of the 21st Century program is now complete, approximately $5 billion in additional education funding remains frozen. These include grants for adult literacy, English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, teacher training, and other state-administered initiatives. On Monday, a coalition of more than 20 states, led by California, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the legality of the funding freeze. The states argue that the money was already approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump earlier this year, and that withholding it unilaterally violates both constitutional and administrative protocols. The suit also asserts that delaying these funds threatens public education systems, especially in high-poverty districts, and undermines bipartisan efforts to improve literacy, language access, and adult education outcomes. Political pushback from Republican senators Adding to the pressure, 10 Republican senators, led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the administration to lift the freeze. The senators emphasised that the affected programs enjoy longstanding bipartisan support and are critical for communities in both red and blue states. The letter clarified that while lawmakers are aligned with the administration's efforts to prevent misuse of federal funds, there is no indication that these particular grants are being used inappropriately or to advance political agendas. Several of the letter's signatories serve on education-related committees and expressed concern that the freeze undermines local control of education—an issue frequently championed by conservative leaders. Education groups demand immediate action Education policy experts, school administrators, and nonprofit coalitions have called on the White House to expedite the release of the remaining funds. The AASA (School Superintendents Association) warned that continued delays would lead to staffing cuts, halted adult education programs, and reduced ESL services, just as schools are preparing for the new academic year. These programs often support recent immigrants, job seekers, and parents returning to the workforce—groups that are already vulnerable and have fewer alternatives. With school budgets already strained due to inflation and rising operational costs, federal funding plays a crucial role in keeping these services afloat. As of now, there is no confirmed timeline from the Office of Management and Budget on when the rest of the education funds will be released. School districts continue to navigate uncertain conditions, with many fearing they will have to make staffing and programming decisions without clarity on federal support. Funding future still undecided While the release of $1.3 billion is a relief for many after-school programs, the broader issue of federal interference in already-appropriated funds has raised concerns across the education sector. Many see the freeze—and the method by which it was implemented—as a dangerous precedent that could impact future grant cycles. Educators, lawmakers, and community leaders alike are watching closely to see how and when the administration resolves the remaining $5 billion freeze. For now, schools are being asked to plan for the academic year with limited certainty—placing crucial programs, jobs, and student services at continued risk. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us .
India Today
14-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
24 states sue Trump administration over $6.8 billion education funding freeze
An administrative fight is heating up over the Trump team's decision to block over $6 billion in education grants. More than 20 states have filed a lawsuit to restore funding for after-school programs, summer camps, and other learning opportunities, mostly for students from low-income major program affected is the 21st Century Community Learning Centres initiative. This program helps about 1.4 million children by offering free tutoring, enrichment activities, and childcare through organisations such as Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA, and public areas are particularly suffering from the freeze. Republican congressional districts are home to 91 of the 100 school districts that receive the most funding from these grants, according to a report by the left-leaning think tank New America. States like Georgia, Florida, West Virginia, and California are home to a large number of these districts. The Trump administration says the pause on funding is to make sure that the programs match the president's priorities. The Office of Management and Budget mentioned concerns about how the money is being used, including whether the programs support undocumented immigrants or LGBTQ+ CLOSURES WITHOUT FUNDSAcross the country, local organisations are struggling to keep their programs running. In Rhode Island, the state government had to step in with emergency money to keep summer camps open. But other groups say they may not be able to survive much Boys & Girls Club of America, which has 926 clubs, warned that some of their locations might start closing within weeks if the funding isn't released. The YMCA and Save the Children have also said that many of their centres are at risk."Time is of the essence," said Christy Gleason from Save the Children Action Network. Her organisation supports after-school programs in 41 rural schools across Washington state and the southern US, where school begins as early as some Republican officials are worried. Georgia schools superintendent Richard Woods, a Republican, said, "I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible — releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump."Many fear that if the delay continues, working parents will lose valuable support, and children will miss out on safe and enriching spaces after school. Programs like these offer not only learning but also meals, supervision, and Gleason added, "It's not too late to make a decision so the kids who really need this still have it."- EndsWith inputs from APTune InMust Watch
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Business Standard
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Over 20 states sue Trump admin over frozen funding for school programmes
More than 20 states have sued President Donald Trump's administration over billions of dollars in frozen funding for after-school and summer programmes and more other programmes. Aiden Cazares is one of 1.4 million children and teenagers around the country who have been attending after-school and summer programming at a Boys & Girls Club, the YMCA or a public school for free thanks to federal taxpayers. Congress set aside money for the programmes to provide academic support, enrichment and child care to mostly low-income families, but President Donald Trump's administration recently froze the funding. The money for the 21st Century Community Learning Centres is among more than $6 billion in federal education grants Trump's Republican administration has withheld, saying it wants to ensure recipients' programs align with the president's priorities. After-school programmes for the fall are in jeopardy In Rhode Island, the state stepped in with funding to keep the summer programs running, according to the Boys & Girls Club of East Providence. Other Boys & Girls Clubs supported by the grants have found ways to keep open their summer programs, said Sara Leutzinger, vice president for communications for the Boys & Girls Club of America. But there isn't the same hope for the after-school programming for the fall. Some of the 926 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide that run 21st Century Community Learning summer and after-school programs stand to close if the Trump administration doesn't release the money in the next three to five weeks, Leutzinger said. The YMCA and Save the Children say many of the centres they run are also at risk of shuttering. Time is of the essence, said Christy Gleason, executive director of Save the Children Action Network, which provides after-school programming for 41 schools in rural areas in Washington state and across the South, where school will begin as soon as August. It's not too late to make a decision so the kids who really need this still have it. Schools in Republican-led areas are particularly affected by the freeze in federal education grants. Ninety-one of the 100 school districts that receive the most money from four frozen grant programs are in Republican congressional districts, according to an analysis from New America, a left-leaning think tank. Of those top 100 school districts, half are in four states: California, West Virginia, Florida and Georgia. New America's analysis used funding levels reported in 2022 in 46 states. Republican officials have been among the educators criticizing the grant freeze. I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump," said Georgia schools superintendent Richard Woods, an elected Republican. In Georgia, we're getting ready to start the school year, so I call on federal funds to be released so we can ensure the success of our students. The Office of Management and Budget said some grants supported left-wing causes, pointing to services for immigrants in the country illegally or LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts. Summer clubs provide instruction for children At the East Providence summer camp, Aiden, a rising third grader, played tag, built structures with magnetic tiles, played a fast-paced game with the other kids to review addition and subtraction, learned about pollination, watched a nature video and ate club-provided chicken nuggets. Veteran teachers from his school corrected him when he spoke without raising his hand and offered common-sense advice when a boy in his group said something inappropriate. When someone says something inappropriate, you don't repeat it, teacher Kayla Creighton told the boys between answering their questions about horseflies and honeybees. Indeed, it's hard to find a more middle-of-the road organization in this country than the Boys & Girls Club. Just last month, a Republican and a Democrat sponsored a resolution in the US House celebrating the 165-year-old organization as a beacon of hope and opportunity. The Defence Department awarded the club $3 million in 1991 to support children left behind when their parents deployed for the Persian Gulf. And ever since, the Boys & Girls Club has created clubs on military installations to support the children of service members. Military families can sign up their kids for free. I suspect they will realize that most of those grants are fine and will release them, said Mike Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education policy think tank, speaking of the Trump administration's review of the 21st Century Community Learning Centre grants. But not everyone is so sure. Families see few affordable child care alternatives Aiden's mother has started looking into afternoon child care for September when kids return to school in Rhode Island. It costs $220 a week, Reyes said, her eyes expanding. I can't afford that. The single mother and state worker said she'll probably ask her 14-year-old son to stay home and watch Aiden. That will mean he would have to forgo getting a job when he turns 15 in the fall and couldn't play basketball and football. I don't have any other option, she said. At home, Aiden would likely stay inside on a screen. That would be heartbreaking since he's thrived getting tutoring and learning about healthy boundaries from the Boys & Girls Club programme, Reyes said. Fernande Berard learned about the funding freeze and possible closure from a reporter after dropping off her three young boys for summer camp. I would be really devastated if this goes away, said the nurse. I honestly don't know what I would do. Her husband drives an Uber much of the day, and picking up the kids early would eat into his earnings. It's money they need to pay the mortgage and everything else. If her boss approves, she'd likely have to pick up her children from school and take them to the rehabilitation centre where she oversees a team of nurses. The children would have to stay until her work day ends. It's hard to imagine, she said.
