$120 million increase proposed for 21st CCLC as U.S. House Subcommittee continues FY2023 Appropriations process

Update (6/24): The House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations subcommittee approved the FY23 spending bill detailed below along a party line vote the evening of June 23.

This week, the House of Representatives continues the FY 2023 appropriations process with multiple subcommittee mark-ups. On June 23, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS-ED) and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee will mark up its FY 2023 spending bill. The draft bill includes a $120 million proposed increase to the Nita M. Lowey 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) initiative – the only federal funding stream dedicated to afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs. President Biden had proposed a $21 million increase for 21^st CCLC. The potential increase could allow up to 120,000 more youth across the country to have access to quality afterschool and summer programs.

The FY 2023 LHHS-ED bill provides $86.7 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, which is $1.6 billion less than the President’s request and $11.3 billion (15%) above the net enacted level provided for FY 2022. The text of the draft bill was released on June 22, ahead of the subcommittee markup, which will be webcast live at 5:30 PM ET on June 23^rd. The Afterschool Alliance is grateful for the proposed increase, which comes one month after Executive Director Jodi Grant testified in support of increased 21^st CCLC funding.

Key funding provisions of the draft bill that would support afterschool and summer learning programs include the following:

• $120 million increase for the Nita M. Lowey 21^st Century Community Learning Center program, which supports before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs for almost 2 million students. The program would receive $1.4 billion.
• $1 billion increase for Child Care and Development Block Grant, for a total of $7.2 billion. This Department of Health and Human Services program supports school-age children with afterschool and summer programs, in addition to providing child care to infants and toddlers.
• $3 billion increase for ESSA Title I grants to Local Education Agencies, for a total $20.5 billion. These Education funds can be used by school districts to support afterschool and summer learning.
• $75 million increase for Title IV Part A Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants, for a total of $1.4 billion. These funds can be used for afterschool Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), physical activity and a host of other uses.
• $393 million increase for Full-Service Community Schools, for a total of $468 million. Full Service Community Schools funding supports comprehensive services and expands evidence-based models that meet the holistic needs of children, families, and communities, including afterschool and summer learning components.
• Continued support for a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Initiative to support SEL and “whole child” approaches to education. Within this amount, the bill provides:
  • $132 million, an increase of $50 million over the FY 2022 enacted level, for grants for evidence-based, field-initiated innovations that address student social, emotional, and cognitive needs within the Education Innovation and Research program;
  • $90 million, an increase of $5 million over the FY 2022 enacted level, for the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program with a priority for teacher professional development and pathways into teaching that provide a strong foundation in child development and learning, including skills for implementing SEL strategies; and
  • $1 billion within School Safety National Activities for Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grants and School-Based Mental Health Services Grants to help Local Education Agencies (LEAs) directly increase the number of mental health and child development experts in schools.
• $124 million increase for Career and Technical Education State Grants, for a total of $2.2 billion.
• $161 million increase for TRIO to $1.3 billion, and $30 million increase for GEAR UP to $408 million. These programs help prepare students for college.
• $34 million increase for Federal Work Study to $1.2 billion. Federal Work Study can help support college students working in afterschool and other community-based organizations while attending college.
• Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS): a $150 million increase for CNCS for a total of $1.3 billion. Within the total amount, the bill includes $523 million for AmeriCorps State and National Grants, an increase of $56 million. AmeriCorps positions include those supporting afterschool and summer learning programs.
• $29 million increase for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program to $130 million.
• $256 million increase for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act State Grants, for a total of $3.1 billion. These funds can be used for youth workforce skill development for older youth.
• $75 million for National Youth Employment Program to support summer and year- round employment for youth.

The House Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) draft bill was also released this week, and includes the following funds that can support afterschool and summer learning:

• $110 million for Youth Mentoring grants within the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
• $150 million for community-based violence intervention initiatives.
• $9.63 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF), an increase of $793.2 million.  These funds will foster innovation and U.S. economic competitiveness, including funding for climate science and sustainable research, as well as research on artificial intelligence, quantum information science, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and many other critical areas. The bill also invests in important scientific infrastructure. Within this total:
  • Research and Related Activities are funded at $7.7 billion, an increase of $546.1 million above the FY 2022 enacted level; and
  • STEM Education is funded at $1.25 billion, an increase of $244 million above the FY 2022 enacted level, to help broaden participation in STEM research and STEM careers among underrepresented populations.
• $25.45 billion for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), an increase of $532 million. This funding includes continued investments in human space exploration efforts, as well as other investments, including $150.1 million for STEM Engagement, an increase of $13.1 million above the FY 2022 enacted level, to inspire young people to pursue future careers in science and engineering.

The annual spending process continues as lawmakers eye the September 30^th deadline for passing all spending bills or a continuing resolution. This week’s House subcommittee mark-ups will be followed next week by the full House Appropriations Committee mark-ups, including this LHHS-ED spending bill, which is scheduled for June 30th. The Senate has yet to announce its schedule for marking up its LHHS-ED spending bill, but it is likely to happen later this summer.

Speaking out this week is especially important! Friends of afterschool can weigh in with their members of Congress about the importance of funding afterschool and summer learning programs.