Year in review: 2023 state budget success

This year’s state budget session was one of the most impactful regarding growing investments in afterschool and summer programs at the state level. We saw newcomers join a growing number of states utilizing state funds to create afterschool funding streams. We also saw states with existing programs grow those investments to serve more students and families. There are now 20 states investing state funds in afterschool and summer learning programs, with an increase of just over $107 million in new state funding provided in state budgets to expand access to afterschool and summer learning programs in 2023.

New state funding for afterschool and summer programs

Michigan – Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) proposed $25 million in new state funds for afterschool in her budget proposal earlier this year. When the dust settled on the state budget, an additional $25 million was added to the governor’s proposal, providing $50 million in new state funding for out-of-school time grants in Michigan.

Minnesota – Governor Tim Walz (D) proposed a $45 million investment over four years in the Afterschool Community Learning Grant, a program that has existed in Minnesota state law, but has been unfunded for more than 10 years. In the budget finalized by the legislature and governor in May, $30 million was provided to the Afterschool Community Learning Grant over four years for a $7.5 million annual appropriation.

Texas – The final biennium (two-year) state budget for Texas included a $5 million investment in afterschool programs, specifically focusing on mental health. The funding will be targeted at community-based organizations (CBOs) and provide Texas students and families with the first ever dedicated state funding for afterschool. This is the first step in establishing a recurring funding stream in the state.  

New Mexico – New Mexico has made investments over the last few years in extended learning time.

However, the FY2024 budget marks a significant milestone with a first-of-its-kind $20 million investment directly allocated to out-of-school time programs through HB2, the state’s annual appropriation bill. A total of $10 million from those funds are being provided to afterschool and summer learning programs. These funds have already begun rolling out and will support over 240 programs, with a mix of community-based organizations and school districts.

Rhode Island – Governor Daniel McKee (D) proposed investing $4 million to expand OST programs earlier this year. The final state budget included this $4 million proposal, dubbed Learn365RI, to expand learning beyond the 180 day school calendar and match the education progress made in neighboring Massachusetts.

Colorado – Governor Jared Polis (D) highlighted afterschool in his state of the state address in mid-January, saying “We are increasing our commitment to high-quality before and after school programming — saving parents thousands of dollars and helping to boost math achievement.” The governor’s budget, released after the speech, included $25 million for programming focused on math and STEM. This funding was included in the final state budget passed earlier this year, along with a $750,000 increase to the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program ($12,617,673 total), and will help to support student learning in math and STEM through high-dosage tutoring programs, along with afterschool and summer programs.

Expanded funding for afterschool

This year also saw states increase their investments, with Alabama, Illinois, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. all expanding investments in afterschool and summer programs, or in Vermont’s case, codifying into law the use of cannabis revenue to support afterschool and summer programs.

Alabama – In 2022, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) proposed the Afterschool and Summer Program pilot, which was ultimately funded at $1.5 million in the state budget. This year, Governor Ivey proposed an increase of $1.3 million for a total of $2.8 million for the Afterschool and Summer Program, which was included in the state budget that passed this spring.

Illinois – The Illinois state budget passed in late May includes a $1.1 million increase in funding for the Teen Responsibility, Education, Achievement, Caring and Hope (Teen REACH) program, bringing it to $17.82 million in total funding. The budget also included $25 million for the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) After School Programs grant, which is an increase of $5 million over previous funding levels for the program.

Vermont – Governor Phil Scott’s (R) proposed budget in early January called for $7 million in state funds to expand access to afterschool programs, building on the investments made in afterschool through the various federal relief bills in 2020 and 2021. The governor’s proposal included language to support this investment with revenue from the cannabis sales tax, providing funds to the Universal Afterschool and Summer Special Fund. The final state budget included the language around investing $4 million in cannabis sales tax revenue into the Universal Afterschool and Summer Special Fund.

Washington, D.C. – 2023 began with Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) pledging to build the most robust afterschool system in the country in her inaugural address. By the time the district’s final budget was passed, an additional $5 million was provided to the My Afterschool DC program for a $22 million total investment. In early December, Councilmember Matt Frumin introduced legislation to establish universal out-of-school time, building on the investments already made in D.C. and achieving universal access by 2035. This legislation has only been introduced as of early December 2023 and has not moved beyond introduction at this time.

Policy changes to existing programs

New York – While funding for New York’s afterschool and summer learning programs remained level this year at $88 million, there were regulatory changes made to the varying afterschool programs in the state to align all of the existing afterschool programs under the State’s Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). The Empire State After-School program moved from the State Education Department to OCFS, which should help ensure continuity and alignment with the Advantage After School Program.