July 6, 2020
Dear Sen. Sherrod Brown (D OH):
Dear Sen. Rob Portman (R OH):
As the FY21 appropriations process gets underway, I ask you to consider increasing support for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs which supports our local afterschool and summer learning programs.
Now more than ever students and parents need quality engaging out of school time programs that address social and emotional supports as well academics to make up for lost learning time resulting from school closures. Afterschool and summer programs have met the challenges of COVID-19 by providing virtual and in-person programming to children grades K through 12, assisting parents with access to technology and other supports, delivering meals to families, and much more. In partnership with schools, programs have a critical role to play this upcoming school year supporting students while parents return to work.
In addition to the FY21 appropriations process, as Congress considers a next round of COVID-19 relief, your support is necessary to ensure afterschool programs assist in our nation’s response to this public health crisis and continue to provide critical services for youth.
In either FY21 or the next COVID-19 legislative package I ask that you include the following:
• $500 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers as immediate relief for programs. These programs will need to ensure that young people receive the support they need in the long term. This will mean that summer learning programs this summer, and afterschool programs next fall will have to accommodate more students, meaning that additional programs will need to be supported. Resources will be needed to ensure that quality learning programs will be available to the most vulnerable populations impacted by school closures this spring. Costs for programs will increase as a result of smaller student to staff ratios due to social distancing, personal protective equipment, training for staff, and sanitation supplies. By providing an increase of $500 million for 21st CCLC, an additional 500,000 students from Pre-K through high school will be able to access these programs.
• Financial relief and assistance is needed for non-profit and small business afterschool providers as they navigate lost program and fundraising revenue, supports are needed to regain financial stability, including support for the WORK NOW Act (S. 3747) and the Save Organizations that Serve America Act (SOS America Act, H.R. 6408.)
- Increase the capacity of both the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) (which also supports school-age afterschool and summer programs) and the AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps VISTA programs (as in the bipartisan CORPS Act – S. 3964).
Burdens on afterschool program providers and the families and students they serve are severe and supports are needed to mitigate the short and long-term impacts on the millions of youth served as well as their families and communities.
I hope we can count on your support.
Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Miller The Dakota Center
33 Barnett St
Dayton, OH 45402
