Federal Policy

U.S. Congress Passes Bill to Fund Government Until February 2022

On December 2, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate approved a bill to fund the federal government until February 18, 2022. This action helped to avert a government shutdown after dispute over President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine policies. By this new deadline, policymakers must adopt another short-term funding bill or “complete work on a dozen long-stalled appropriations bills that fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2022, which ends in September.” The Afterschool Alliance has created an action alert that urges legislators to pass these funding bills and support a significant increase for local afterschool and summer learning programs through 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) funding for next year. 

TELL YOUR POLICYMAKERS THAT AFTERSCHOOL MATTERS!

Build Back Better Bill Passed by U.S. House of Representatives

On November 19, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better (BBB) bill. This legislation totals $1.7 trillion and hosts a variety of tax, healthcare, child care, and climate initiatives, and is considered to be the most significant restructuring of the safety net in decades. Here is a summary of afterschool-related funding in the BBB. The legislation now moves to the U.S. Senate, where it will likely be pared back in size and not considered until next month at the earliest. To learn more about the BBB, click here. 

FDA Approval of COVID-19 Vaccination for Youth

On October 29, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is projected to receive around 100,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for youth and will be calling on local schools, health departments, and community partnerships to encourage families to vaccinate their children.

FY22 Appropriations Update

This past week, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee proposed a $50 million increase to the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grant program. Other key funding for afterschool and summer learning programs within the bill include the following:

• $7.31 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grant
• $33 billion for ESSA Title I grants to Local Education Agencies. Allowable uses of funding include afterschool and summer learning opportunities.
• $1.32 billion for Title IV Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants. These funds can be used for academic enrichment such as afterschool STEM, physical activity, and more!
• $370 million increase for Full-Service Community Schools for a total of $400 million
• $1.38 billion for Career and Technical Education grants to state education agencies
• $15 million for Career Pathways for Youth Grants with funding prioritized for national OST organizations that serve youth and focus on workforce readiness programming
• $1.2 billion for AmeriCorps positions to support staffing shortage

FY 2022 began on October 1, 2021, however a continuing resolution is funding the federal government through December 3, 2021.

White House Outlines COVID-19 Vaccination Plans for Kids 5-11

Last week, the Biden Administration shared its COVID-19 vaccination plan for children age 5 to 11 as federal agencies consider granting emergency use authorization to provide both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccinations. Here are some of the key takeaways:

• Partnerships with schools and community-based organizations to provide vaccinations at locations that families can access and trust
• Rapid shipment of vaccinations to sites
• No federal mandate for pediatric physicians to be vaccinated

Build Back Better Act Would Support Afterschool Nationwide

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives proposed the Build Back Better Act. While the U.S. Senate will most likely make changes to the proposed legislation, funding for expanded learning appears to be strong:

• Workforce Development: $80 billion in total funding. $9.1 billion for youth workforce investment activities, such as youth apprenticeship, and pre-apprenticeship programs.
• Child Care and Universal Pre-Kindergarten: $450 billion in total. $90 billion to provide child care for specified low-income and other eligible families through a new “birth through five child care and early learning entitlement program.” This proposed program does not extend to school-age children, but potentially will allow the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) funding to serve more school-age students. There is also funding for states to create child care information networks and for improving school-age child care infrastructure.
• Trauma-Informed Care: $2.5 billion for reducing community violence and trauma through community-based trauma-informed care services. There is also a $2.5 billion community violence initiative.
• Child Nutrition: Expands the number of schools that would be able to offer free meals to all students (statewide) through the Community Eligibility Provision. The bill extends Summer EBT nationwide for students who receive free or reduced-price school meals. The bill would allow states as well as Indian Tribal Organizations to provide Summer EBT. Finally, it provides $634 million for a Healthy School Meals Incentives project that would support activities like school and community gardens. Community-based organizations may be able to partner with schools.

Finally, the federal Fiscal Year 2021 ends on September 30, 2021, and Congress has not yet passed any final Fiscal Year 2022 appropriations bills. A continuing resolution (CR) is expected to pass, extending current government funding and preventing a government shutdown at the end of September.

President Joseph Biden Issues Vaccination Mandate

On September 8, 2021, President Joseph Biden announced new COVID-19 vaccination mandates to encourage Americans to receive the vaccines available. Key points of these new mandates include: 

• Requiring all employers with more than 100 employees to ensure that their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly
• Requiring vaccinations for all federal workers and contractors that work with the Federal Government
• Requiring vaccinations for all health care workers at Medicare and Medicaid hospitals and other health care settings
• Requiring employers to provide paid time off for vaccinations
• Requiring all Head Start program staff, Department of Defense schools, and Bureau of Indian Education-Operated Schools to be vaccinated

New Learning Loss Recovery Guidance from U.S. Department of Education

On August 31, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education released “Strategies for Using American Rescue Plan Funding to Address the Impact of Lost Instructional Time,” to the public. The Afterschool Alliance reports that this new guidance highlights successful practices and evidence-based approaches to support students, all of which can be funded by American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars. This new guidance is a part of the Department’s Return to School Roadmap, a guide for states, schools, educators, and parents to prepare for the return to in-person learning this fall.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Approves the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccination

On August 23, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for individuals 16 years and older. For children between 12 and 15 years old and immunocompromised individuals who need a third dose, the vaccine will continue to be available under emergency use authorization.

FY22 Appropriations Update

The Afterschool Alliance has reported that in late July, the U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies bill passed, including a $100 million proposed increase to the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) line. It also included a $413 million increase for Full-Service Community Schools for a total of $443 million. However, in the U.S. Senate, no FY 2022 spending bills have passed yet. Finally, on August 10, 2021, the U.S. Senate also passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). IIJA aims to invest approximately $1 trillion (roughly $550 billion in new spending) in traditional infrastructure. With regard to education, the bipartisan infrastructure bill includes a total of $65 billion for broadband investment to help families access the internet and afford devices and more.

Chalkbeat Chicago Article: Head Start Grant for City of Chicago Redistributed by Federal Government

On July 20, 2021, the federal government shared that it will be breaking up the City of Chicago’s “monopoly” of the $145 million Head Start grant program and redistribute almost $95 million in grants to five community-based organizations across the city. One of the grantees will be led by former Illinois First Lady Diana Rauner and City Hall will remain in control of $51.8 million of the grant. The new federal grantees will also oversee a small group of partner agencies, with Start Early’s roster including two charter schools that run preschool programs and kindergartens. Our colleague, Bela Moté, the CEO of the Carole Robertson Center for Learning, said her organization will “focus immediately on doing more to boost salary and benefits for educators and help stem the loss of teachers to the public school district, where pay is on a unionized pay scale.”

U.S. House Labor, Health, and Human Services Subcommittee: Increase to 21st Century Line Proposed!

On July 12, 2021, the U.S. House Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education Subcommittee (LHHS-ED) proposed a $100 million increase to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st Century) funding line. This is $50 million more than President Biden’s proposed FY22 budget for 21st Century. The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate will not vote on the FY2022 spending bill. Urge your legislators to vote yes!

U.S. House of Representatives: National Science Foundation for the Future Act Passed!

On June 28, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Science Foundation for the Future Act. This legislation addresses challenges at all levels of STEM education and training by supporting partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs). The Act also broadens current projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Finally, this bill establishes a new directorate to accelerate progress on emerging technologies and advance research-driven solutions to societal challenges like climate change and inequality.

Biden Jr Administration Press Release: Youth Development Programming as a Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gun Crime and Ensure Public Safety

On June 23, 2021, President Biden released a statement emphasizing how youth development programming, such as summer programming, may help prevent violence that takes place over the summer. The press release also highlights the importance of providing employment opportunities, and other services and supports for teenagers, young adults, and formerly incarcerated individuals. The document shares guidance on using American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to reduce violence. President Biden also announced that the Administration will convene and support a CVI Collaborative of 15 jurisdictions that are committing to use a portion of their ARP funding or other public funding to increase investment in their CVI infrastructure, including to anticipate and respond to the potential rise in violence this summer. Chicago, Illinois is included in this new initiative.

Afterschool Alliance: Draft State Child Care Plans for 2022 to 2024 Announced

The Afterschool Alliance has created a website highlighting states’ draft child care plans for 2022 to 2024. The plans were due July 1, 2021, and will now be reviewed by the Office of Child Care. The finalized versions will go into effect October 1, 2021. These plans support programs for children and youth ages 0 to 13, including afterschool and summer programs.

Child Tax Credit Awareness Resources for Program Providers and Families

Child Tax Credit Awareness Day was this past Monday (June 21, 2021). It provides $3,000 per child ages 6 to 17 years old and $3,600 per child under age 6. Families who filed taxes in the last two years or who used the IRS “Non-Filer Portal” to get a stimulus check last year do not need to do anything. The IRS will automatically send them a monthly payment by direct deposit or check starting on July 15, 2021. Families that are not automatically enrolled, such as low-income families that have not made enough money to be required to file taxes, need to sign up at ChildTaxCredit.gov. There is a flyer in English for families to utilize on social media platforms or print out and place in students’ backpacks or grab-and-go meals. There is also a Spanish-language guide for families more comfortable with Spanish.

President Joseph Biden: FY22 Discretionary Budget Finalized and Released

On May 28, 2021, President Joseph Biden released the final FY22 Discretionary budget with heightened support of afterschool and summer learning providers across the country. Specific funding levels in the budget proposal that support afterschool and summer include:

• $1.30 billion for the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers line, $52 million above the 2021 enacted level of $1.25 billion.
• $36.5 billion for Title I Grants to Local Education Agencies, an increase of $20 billion above the 2021 enacted level. Schools are able to spend Title I funds on afterschool and summer learning programs.
• $443 million for Title IV Full Service Community Schools, an increase of $413 million, to provide comprehensive services and expand evidence-based models that meet the holistic needs of children, families, and communities.
• $1.22 billion for Title IV Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants. These funds are for providing students with a well-rounded education, ensure safe and supportive learning environments, and use technology to improve instruction. Allowable uses also include afterschool STEM activities.
• $138 million for Child Care Access Means Parents in School, an increase of $83 million above the 2021 enacted level.
• $1.36 billion for Career, Technical Education (CTE), an increase of $20 million for the Perkins V CTE program.

Funding in support of afterschool and summer learning providers allocated to the Department of Health and Human Services and other agencies includes:

• $7.34 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), an increase of $1.5 billion over the FY 2021 enacted level
• $1.12 billion for Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which supports AmeriCorps and VISTA that are a key asset for hundreds of afterschool programs.
• $120 million for Youth Mentoring to support mentoring programs including those provided through afterschool programs, an increase of $20 million over FY 2021.

U.S. Congress: Youth Workforce Readiness Act Reintroduced in Senate and House of Representatives

On May 19, 2021, the bipartisan Youth Workforce Readiness Act (YWRA) was reintroduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives. The Act would create investments in youth workforce readiness programs in order to prepare young people for the 21st-century workforce and ultimately address the skills gap. The legislation would establish a grant program through the U.S. Department of Labor to support youth-serving, out-of-school time programs in providing programming for youth ages six to eighteen.

Afterschool Alliance: Department of Treasury Guidance Released for American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funding

On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of Treasury released guidance on the American Rescue Plan’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery (SLFRF) funds that can be used by local and state governments for a variety of uses including compensating essential employees and supporting education and learning loss recovery. Governors in both Wisconsin and Minnesota have announced using their state SLFRF dollars to fund afterschool and summer learning programs.

Afterschool Alliance: American Rescue Plan Child Care Stabilization Funding Update

On May 5, 2021, The Afterschool Alliance received guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on the American Rescue Plan child care stabilization funds. This guidance clearly states school-age and licensed exempt programs are eligible for these funds. Illinois is expected to receive:

• $497 million for the Child Care Development Block Grant, which must be used to supplement and not supplant
• $796 million for Stabilization Grants (similar to previous BIG grants)
• $40 million for Head Start

The Afterschool Alliance is also hosting a webinar on June 3, 2021, for child care providers looking to gain insight into accessing this COVID-19 relief (link to register is in the Trainings, Events, and Webinars section).

NPR Article: FDA Authorizes Pfizer Vaccine for Children Ages 12 to 15

On May 4, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it was in the process of authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 to 15 years old. Yesterday, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for this age group. To read the full article, click here.

President Joseph Biden: American Family Plan Released

On April 28, 2021, President Joseph Biden revealed the American Family Plan, which aims to support families and invest in young people. Key aspects of the plan include:

• Investing in the country’s education system to provide universal, preschool, and two years of free community college for each American individual.
• Investing in the child care system
• Comprehensive paid family and medical leave for families
• Extending tax cuts

To read the White House’s fact sheet on the plan, click here. The plan will be sent to U.S. Congress for deliberation.

U.S. Senate: Bipartisan Summer Meals Act Introduced in Senate

This month, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D- New York) and Lisa Murkowski (R- Alaska) introduced the bipartisan Summer Meals Act (S. 1170), which is similar to the U.S. House of Representative’s version (H.R. 783) that was proposed this year by Representatives Rick Larson (D – Washington) and Don Young (R- Alaska). The Summer Meals Act aims to:

• Lower the threshold to allow areas with 40 percent or more of students receiving free or reduced lunch to be eligible for the program, rather than the current threshold of 50 percent. This would make the meals programs consistent with the eligibility for summer learning programs provided through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program.
• Reduce the paperwork burden for meal program sponsors and streamline the application process for programs operating year round.
• Improve nutrition in rural, underserved, and hard to reach areas by providing transportation grants for underserved areas to get children to summer meal sites and by promoting innovative ways to increase children’s access to summer meals, such as through mobile meal trucks.
• Offer sites the option of serving two meals and a snack or three meals to children who attend evening enrichment programs during the school year and summer months.
• Allow Summer Nutrition Program providers to serve food to children after emergencies or disasters and be reimbursed if the meals are taken offsite.

Tell your legislators that this Act must pass in order to provide healthy meals to youth throughout the summer and support families! To take action and send the Afterschool Alliance’s alert, click here.

President Joseph Biden’s Administration: Child Care Funding from American Rescue Plan Announced

On April 15, 2021, the Biden Administration announced the release of $39 billion of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to states, territories, and tribes to address the child care crisis caused by COVID-19. To review the White House fact sheet on this funding, click here here. To review the Department of Health and Human Services’ document, which hosts allocations for ARP child care funds, click here. 

President Biden’s Administration: FY22 Discretionary Budget Request Released

On April 9, 2021, President Joseph Biden released the FY 2022 discretionary budget request, which features the topline appropriations levels for each governmental agency. However, these appropriation levels are not mandatory spending and revenue policies. Rather, the Biden Administration will release the mandatory request and revenue proposals, along with the program-level budget numbers for FY 2022 discretionary funding (including 21st CCLC funding) later this spring when the Administration submits its full budget request to Congress. The President’s 2022 discretionary request includes:

• $102.8 billion for the Department of Education. This is a $29.8 billion or 41-percent increase over the 2021 enacted level.
• $36.5 billion for Title I grants, or a $20 billion increase compared to the 2021 enacted level. Notably, Title I funding can be used for afterschool and summer programming.
• $1 billion, in addition to the resources in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to increase the number of counselors, nurses, and mental health professionals in school.
• $413 million in funding for Community Schools. This increase in Community Schools funding brings the total amount to $443 million, a historic level of funding.
• $19.8 billion for Health and Human Services’ early care and education programs, which is an increase of $2.8 billion over the 2021 enacted level. This includes $7.4 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, an increase of $1.5 billion over the 2021 enacted level to expand access to quality, affordable child care for families across the United States.

President Biden’s Administration: American Jobs Plan and the American Family Plan Announced

Last week, President Joseph Biden announced the first part of his Administration’s Build Back Better infrastructure plan called the American Jobs Plan. This plan aims to invest more than $200 billion in education and education-related infrastructure. Potential funding includes: 

• $100 billion to upgrade and build new public schools, through $50 billion in direct grants and an additional $50 billion leveraged through bonds. There is currently a bill (Rebuild America’s Schools Act) in the House and Senate, that hosts provisions for the construction of community learning centers as part of new or renovated school facilities.
• $25 billion to help upgrade child care facilities and increase the supply of child care in areas that need it most. While the proposal specifies infrastructure for infant and toddler care, school-age care providers have also indicated a need for support.

Finally, President Biden also unveiled the American Family Plan, will be released in the coming weeks and is expected to include a number of priorities including a major expansion in health insurance coverage, subsidies for child care and free access to community colleges, and more. This is the second part of the Build Back Better Plan.

President Biden’s Administration: Paycheck Protection Program Extended

Last week, President Joseph Biden signed legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) until May 31, 2021. In order to learn more about this extension and how to access funding for your organization before the new deadline, click here. 

U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee: Child Nutrition Reauthorization

On March 25, 2021, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing on child nutrition programs. The importance of strengthening the summer meals program was at the center of the committee’s conversations. To read the summary of the discussion, click here. The U.S. Senate’s version of the Summer Meals Act is expected to be introduced by Senator Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Murkowski (R-AK) soon.

Congress: Climate Change Education Act Introduced

On March 25, 2021, U.S. Congress introduced The Climate Change Education Act. This legislation would create a grant program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assist state and local education agencies to improve climate literacy, as well as institutions of higher education and professional associations. The grant aims to ensure that students at all grade levels are taught about climate adaptation and mitigation, climate resilience, and the effects of climate change on the environment, energy sources, and social and economic systems, including environmental and climate justice. The proposed Act includes language around out-of-school time (OST) programming. To learn more about the legislation, click here.

Afterschool Alliance: American Rescue Plan Provides Necessary Funding for the Child Care Block Development Grant 

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) provides funding for low-income and working families so that they can access quality child care for children ages 0 to 13 years old. The American Rescue Plan provided $39 billion of funding support for the CCDBG program and will be added to the $5.9 billion appropriated for the program for FY 2021. Of the $39 billion of federal aid, nearly $15 billion will be utilized to expand child care assistance to families, providers, and support the child care needs of essential workers. The remaining funding, approximately $24 billion, will be used to create a stabilization fund for eligible child care providers, including programs that were not eligible for previous CCDBG funding. The state of Illinois is projected to receive the following funding:

• Expanded Child Care Assistance: $497,857,043
• Child Care Stabilization Fund: $796,272,356

To read the Afterschool Alliance’s article on this historic funding, click here.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Updated Guidance for K-12 Institutions on Social Distancing in Classrooms

On March 19, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it has updated its operational strategy guide for K-12 schools in order to reflect new evidence on physical distancing within classrooms. The CDC stated that:

• With universal masking, students should maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. 
• In elementary schools, CDC recommends all students remain at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal — regardless of whether community transmission is low, moderate, substantial, or high.
• In middle and high schools, CDC also recommends students should be at least 3 feet apart in classrooms where mask use is universal and in communities where transmission is low, moderate, or substantial. 
• Middle school students and high school students should be at least 6 feet apart in communities where transmission is high, if cohorting is not possible.

To read this updated guidance, click here.

President Joseph Biden: American Rescue Plan Signed into Law – Historic Funding for Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs

On March 11, 2021, President Joseph Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law. This piece of legislation will send a historic-level of funding to afterschool and summer learning programs in order to help and support our young people and families as we begin to recover from the pandemic. Funding for afterschool and summer learning providers is as follows:

• $8.45 billion will be made available to State Education Agencies (SEAs), like the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). In total, SEAs will allocate $1.22 billion for summer enrichment, $1.22 billion for afterschool programs, and approximately $6 billion for learning recovery – with afterschool and summer learning programs as allowable uses.
• $22 billion will be made available to Local Education Agencies (LEAs), or school districts. School districts must utilize this funding for learning recovery strategies, including afterschool and summer enrichment programs.
• $39 billion for child care providers, which also includes school-age child care providers. These dollars will flow to states’ child care agencies, such as the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).
• $1 billion for Corporation for National and Community Service through AmeriCorps for AmeriCorps positions to help address learning recovery and other purposes
• $350 billion for state and local governments that can be used in part for child care and other purposes

Funding from the bill can be spent until September 2023. To read more about this historic bill, click here.

U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Supreme Court: Public Charge Rule Permanently Blocked Nationwide

On March 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) stopped defending the Trump Administration’s Public Charge regulations. The Trump Administration’s 2019 Public Charge rule is permanently blocked, nationwide. Under this policy, it is safe for immigrants and their families to access health, nutrition, and housing programs for which they are eligible. To read more about this policy update, click here. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture: Extension of COVID-19 Meal Waivers Announced

On March 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the nationwide extension of several waivers that allow all children to continue to receive nutritious meals this summer when schools are not in session. These flexibilities are now available through September 30, 2021. In addition, these waivers:

• Allow meals served through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO), which are collectively known as “summer meal programs” – to be made available in all regions of the U.S. for free
• Allow meals to be served outside of the normally required group settings and meal times
• Allow parents and guardians to pick-up meals for their children, including bulk pick-up to cover multiple days of feeding children

To learn more information about the waivers, click here.

U.S. Senate: American Rescue Plan to Provide Funding for Afterschool and Summer Learning Providers

On March 6, 2021, the U.S. Senate joined the U.S House of Representatives in passing President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, which supports afterschool and summer learning providers. In total, the Senate bill could make $8.75 billion available for afterschool and summer programs, across all states, which would be administered by State Education Agencies (SEAs). Funding at this level will potentially provide opportunities for more than 9 million young people across the country. There will also be $21.9 billion available for afterschool and summer programs, administered by local school districts. This bill was revised by the Senate and the House is expected to pass it before sending it to President Biden to sign into law later this week. To read the Afterschool Alliance’s blog post on this legislation, click here.

U.S. Department of Education: 2020-2021 Waiver on Accountability Measures for State Education Agencies Announced

On February 22, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it is soliciting applications from State Education Agencies (SEAs) for a waiver on 2020-2021 Accountability measures. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) stated that it will be applying for waiver for the 2020-2021 school year. The U.S. Department of Education noted that any state receiving this waiver would not be required to implement and report the results of its accountability system. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Education did not release a waiver for 2020-2021 school year Assessments but is encouraging SEAs to provide flexibility in the administration of statewide assessments in the following ways:

• Administering a shortened version of its statewide assessments
• Offering remote administration, where feasible
• Extending the testing window to the greatest extent practicable, including into summer or even the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year

ISBE announced that the state agency will apply for the maximum flexibility available, including seeking the available waivers for summative designations and the 95 percent assessment participation requirement.

To read more about the Accountability Measures waiver, click here.

Congress: Full Service Community Schools Expansion Act of 2020 Reintroduced in House and Senate

Last week, the Full Service Community Schools Expansion Act of 2020was reintroduced in Congress.

Congress: Summer Meals Act of 2021 Reintroduced in House

On February 3, 2021, the Summer Meals Act of 2021 was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representatives Young (R- Arkansas) and Larsen (D-Washington). The U.S. Senate version of this bill is scheduled to be reintroduced by Senators Murkowski (R- Arkansas) and Gillibrand (D- New York) in the coming weeks. Furthermore, the Senate Agriculture Committee is starting the Child Nutrition Reauthorization period, which is the process when Congress reviews and updates laws that govern all child nutrition programs including school lunch and breakfast, summer meals, and after-school meals. Senator Durbin (D- Illinois) sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

House Education and Labor Committee: FY21 Budget Reconciliation Bill Supports Afterschool and Summer Learning

Last week (February 15-19), the House Education and Labor Committee released its portion of the FY21 Budget Reconciliation Bill, which enacts President Joseph Biden’s American Rescue Plan. This bill emphasizes the important role that afterschool and summer learning programs, child care providers, and nutrition programs play in helping young people and families across the United States recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

• Provides $128.6 billion in funding to State Education Agencies (SEA) such as the Illinois State Board of Illinois (ISBE). Afterschool and summer learning are allowable uses for these funds.
• Requires SEAs to reserve at least 5 percent (estimated to be about $6.4 billion nationally) of new ESSER funding for grants and contracts to carry out activities to promote learning recovery. 
• Requires school districts to reserve at least 20 percent of their newly allocated ESSER funds to promote learning recovery including afterschool programs and summer learning experiences. Extended school day, extended school year, and other strategies and interventions are also allowable.
• Allows states and local school districts to use funding for evidence-based interventions that “respond to students’ academic, social, and emotional needs” and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on low-income students.

The FY21 Budget Reconciliation Bill also attempts to support families with more-affordable child care and stabilize the child care system by investing $39 billion in child care providers via the Child Care Development Block Grant Program (CCDBG).

To read the full Afterschool Alliance article on the bill, click here.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: New Guidance for K-12 Schools

On February 12, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced updated guidance for K-12 schools as school districts across the nation begin to make the transition back to in-person instruction. This new guidance is not a mandate for school districts to reopen but rather a set of recommendations for making a safe shift to hybrid or in-person facilitation. To review these recommendations, click here.

U.S. Senate: Letter to Senate Leadership in Support of COVID-19 Funding for Summer Programming for Low-Income Youth

On February 10, 2021, twelve U.S. Senators, including Senator Durbin, wrote a letter to Senate leadership advocating for the dedication of future COVID-19 relief funding for summer enrichment opportunities for low-income youth. To read the full letter, click here.

President Joseph Biden: Executive Order Issued to Remove Immigration Barriers

On February 2, 2021, President Joseph Biden issued a Public Charge Executive Order, which removes barriers to the legal immigration system and calls for the review of the public charge regulations imposed by the Trump Administration. This Executive Order also requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of State (DOS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to evaluate the current effects of the rules and to address the policies’ effect on the U.S. immigration system and public health within 60 days. The Executive Order does not directly rescind or replace the DHS or DOS public charge rules but rather holds DHS, DOS, and DOJ accountable to review the policy and take appropriate actions within 60 days. To learn more about this Executive Order, click here.

ACT Now: Sign-on Letter to Congress in Support of the Full-Service Community Schools Expansion Act of 2020

ACT Now encourages its members to advocate for the passage of the Full-Service Community Schools Expansion Act of 2020 by signing onto a letter to Congress. The letter also pushes for the inclusion of full-service community schools as an allowable use of funding for public schools and school districts in future COVID-19 relief packages. To read the full letter, click here. To sign on in support of community schools providers, click here.

U.S. House of Representatives: Learning Recovery Act of 2021 Introduced

On January 28, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Learning Recovery Act of 2021, which aims to provide $75 billion in federal aid to school districts, over two years, via the Title I Part A formula. This funding may be utilized to support programs like afterschool, summer school or extended school days, as well as other school programming. The Act also directs the Institute of Education Sciences to conduct research on learning loss. The legislation emphasizes equity and addressing communities that have the most need, and also has language to allow funding to be used for trauma screenings, mental health supports, and other efforts designed to “locate and reengage within the school community missing students.” The Learning Recovery Act of 2021 is part of a three-bill package from the House Education and Labor Committee, led by Chairman Bobby Scott (D-Virginia). The other two bills address school infrastructure needs and protecting jobs in the education sector. Each legislation provides the funding for afterschool in the following ways:

• The Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2021 would provide $130 billion in federal aid, with emphasis on targeting high-poverty schools, to help reopen public schools and provide students and educators a safe place to learn and work. The funds can also be utilized to develop community learning facilities and early learning centers.
• The Save Education Jobs Act of 2021 would establish an Education Jobs Fund to stabilize the education workforce across the country. Over the course of 10 years, states and school districts would receive up to $261 billion in funding. 

To read more about the Learning Recovery Act of 2021, click here.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Out-of-School Time Providers Considered Essential Workers in Phase 1B of Vaccine Priority

On January 27, 2021, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials clarified that they consider Out-of-School Time (OST) program providers as essential workers along with teachers and child care workers with regard to vaccine priority. This means that OST providers would be considered to be in group 1B of states’ vaccine rollout plans. However, each state must include OST workers in their COVID-19 vaccine plans in order for program providers to be eligible to receive the vaccine. The CDC has designed a COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit for Essential Workers to help employers build confidence in this important new vaccine. The toolkit will help employers across various industries educate their workforce about COVID-19 vaccines, raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination, and address common questions and concerns. To access the toolkit, click here. Partners are encouraged to adapt the key messages to the language, tone, and format that will resonate with the organizations and programs they serve. Programs may place their logo on materials that have a place for your logo, but please retain the CDC URL (www.cdc.gov).

President Joseph Biden: American Rescue Plan Overview

On January 15, 2021, President Joseph Biden publicly announced his comprehensive “American Rescue Plan” which includes more than $400 billion for vaccine production and distribution, another round of stimulus checks for individuals, increased unemployment benefits, $350 billion in aid for city and state governments, and child care subsidies. The funding for vaccine production and distribution is part of the President’s goal of reopening k-8 schools across the United States within 100 days of his inauguration. 

Education-related funding is as follows:

• $130 billion for Elementary and Secondary Education, which is almost twice what Congress has already allocated in K-12 education relief funding. These dollars may be used to cover a variety of costs to make in-person education safe, including technology, offer counseling and address social and emotional learning (SEL) needs, create smaller classes, provide Personal Protective Equipment, pay for transportation and cleaning costs, and other new costs associated with the public health crisis. There are also requirements that states use this funding to support low-income communities and areas most-impacted by the pandemic. Afterschool and summer learning opportunities may be an allowable use for this funding and have been recipients of these dollars in previous COVID-19 aid packages.
• $5 billion for the Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund, which has language for supporting the education of student populations that have been hardest hit by COVID-19. These funds can be used for Pre K-higher education, and afterschool and summer learning.

Federal aid for child care includes:

• $15 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to help millions of families and parents return to work. In Illinois, CCDBG dollars are used for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP).
• $25 billion for an emergency stabilization fund for child care providers.

The plan also calls for the expansion of child care tax credits for one year, and the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit for one year.

Congress is expected to start work on a new COVID-19 relief bill this month which will be informed by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Now is the time to weigh in with your members of Congress. To read the Afterschool Alliance’s full brief on the plan and to take action in support of more funding for afterschool and summer learning, click here.

United States Department of Agriculture and President Joseph Biden: Illinois P-EBT Implementation Plan for School-Aged Children Approved and Increase to P-EBT Benefits

On January 15, 2021, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Illinois’s Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer Program (P-EBT) implementation plan for school-aged children. This means that families with children on free or reduced-price school meals will soon be able to receive a food benefit for the days that their students are participating in remote or virtual instruction. To read the full plan, click here. On January 22, 2021, President Joseph Biden issued an executive order to allow states to increase the value of P-EBT benefits by 15%, making this benefit even more valuable for the families afterschool programs and community schools serve. To read more about the increase in P-EBT benefits, click here.

President-Elect Joseph Biden: Proposed Federal Aid to Support Educators and Districts Across the Nation

On January 14, 2021, President-Elect Joseph Biden publicly announced that once he is inaugurated on January 20, 2021, he will ask the U.S. Congress to provide $130 billion in federal aid for the education field. His primary goal is to help K-12 institutions reopen across the United States and provide rapid COVID-19 testing in schools. President-Elect Biden also stated that this plan aligns with his national vaccination plan, which would see to more educators getting vaccinated in a timely manner. Ultimately, President-Elect Biden aims to have a majority of school districts open for in-person instruction within 100 days of his inauguration. To read more about this goal and learn more about potential COVID-19 relief (The American Rescue Plan), click here.

The U.S. Senate: Child Care Protection Improvement Act of 2020 Passed

On December 31, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed S.2683, the Child Care Protection Improvement Act of 2020. This bipartisan legislation was introduced earlier this session by Senators Burr (R- North Carolina) and Van Hollen (D- Maryland), and established a task force to assist states in the process of implementing background check requirements for child care providers. There was a similar bill introduced and passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. This task force must consult with state agencies and partners, including the statewide afterschool networks, in order to develop recommendations and best practices regarding the background check process for child care workers. The task force must submit a final report with its recommendations within one year of the first meeting of the entity. To read the Afterschool Alliance’s article on the Act, click here.