Trump Budget Puts After School Programs In Danger

The Trump administration’s budget proposal includes cutting all funding to the 21st Century Learning Centers, a nationwide after school program. The White House said the program isn’t providing results, but Putnam County Director of Schools Jerry Boyd said it’s providing a valuable service.

Boyd said the requirements of those programs is they have to be more than just childcare, Putnam County Schools do have school-aged care, a childcare program, but that’s for a fee. The 21st Century Learning Centers and LEAPS programs paid for by state dollars, provide after school tutoring and other exploratory opportunities. “The big one is our early grades string program, the cello and violinists, it’s enrichment, high quality,” Boyd said. The programs also provide a “super snack,” a small meal provided for kids staying until 5:15 p.m. “It’s another opportunity to continue to support our students learning,” Boyd said.

“Without those dollars we’ll have a significant hole to cover, and it won’t be at the same level. I don’t anticipate we would receive additional local dollars to supplement what we’d lose from the 21st Century program,” he said.

All Putnam County students K-8 have access to after school programs, some through the federal program and some through a state program called LEAPS, funded by state lottery money.

Students of any income bracket are welcome but the program is targeted to students who don’t have as many resources as their peers.

“We feel like it’s a very necessary service. We have a lot of students who are the primary targets of the program who are lower income, under-resourced students and families,” Boyd said.

The program’s results may not be seen quickly, he said, but they’re still there.

“Giving them the opportunity for another hour, hour and a half to two hours of guided learning and the opportunity to grow and enrich their learning in a good environment pays great dividends over time,” Boyd said.