Dive Brief:

• Afterschool program leaders are anxious about the potential of federal spending cuts, arguing that the subsidized programs offer safety and educational benefits, according to a report about California programs from EdSource and an NPR profile of a West Virginia center.
• The concern stems from President Donald Trump’s budget proposal, which suggested eliminating grants for such programs, and Trump Budget Director Mick Mulvaney has suggested a lack of evidence to show that afterschool programs assist students.
• Afterschool education supporters argue that there are positive outcomes for enrolled students, including increases in math and literacy skills, as well as school attendance — and the programs also help parents continue to work more hours.

Dive Insight:

For parents in low-income families, afterschool education can allow parents to work full-time during school hours. Considering research that shows low-income parents can find it difficult to engage with their children’s schools due to their work, an afterschool program can offer a way to keep a job and engage with educators. A Harvard study also found that afterschool education could have a beneficial impact for students' health and wellness — and provided that food options were appropriately healthy, afterschool programs could help to reduce childhood obesity.

The research supporting positive outcomes for students enrolled in afterschool programs comes as austerity measures on the federal and local front increasingly endanger their existence. Budget crises continue to wrack Illinois schools, and though Congress’ budget is less severe in regards to Education Department cuts than Trump’s proposal, districts are assuming cuts will come and continue to persist. In that event, afterschool programs subsidized by the federal government may be impossible to continue, and general cuts may force school districts to make decisions about whether a school can go without such programs if they are not considered essential.