Where things stand: FY2027 Appropriations Update

As Congress works through Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) appropriations, afterschool and summer learning programs are once again drawing broad bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. From Senate testimony to House spending debates, Members on both sides of the aisle are reaffirming the critical role these programs play for students, families, and communities, and advocates are making their voices heard at every step.

Secretary McMahon testifies before senate appropriators

On April 28, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS), offering a window into the Administration's priorities and generating heated discussion from both sides of the aisle. The Secretary's testimony centered on returning control to states and localities, while reaffirming support for IDEA and Title I Part A. Senators, however, raised a range of concerns, including steady funding for TRIO (which helps support college access), support for the Office of Civil Rights, Pell grants, and higher education access. A notable point of bipartisan friction was the Administration's proposed Make Education Great Again (MEGA) block grant, which Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, warned would undermine the goals of helping K-12 schools.

The President’s FY27 “skinny budget” proposal would again zero out funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), currently the only federal funding stream dedicated exclusively to afterschool and summer learning programs, despite the program’s strong bipartisan support and proven impact. This is the second straight year of proposed elimination for 21st CCLC, a program that supports nearly 10,000 local programs serving almost 1.4 million children across the nation.

LHHS Subcommittee Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) and Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) both highlighted the importance of afterschool programs during the hearing. Senator Capito was particularly vocal, emphasizing the "critical need" for 21st CCLC and noting that teachers, parents, and school leaders in West Virginia deeply value the program.

When Senator Capito pressed Secretary McMahon on how the budget proposal would impact afterschool programs, the Secretary indicated it would be left to states to determine how to use block grant funds, a response that raises questions about whether dedicated afterschool funding would be preserved under the President’s current proposal.

Building the case: Key letters to appropriators

Advocates and lawmakers alike are emphasizing that afterschool programs are essential infrastructure for families and communities, helping students succeed in school, supporting workforce participation for parents, and strengthening local economies.

Dear Colleague Letters are one of the most direct ways members of Congress can signal their support for a program during the appropriations process. When a letter urging funding for a priority like 21st CCLC lands on an appropriator's desk, the number of signatures matters. The more lawmakers who sign on, the stronger the case for funding.

Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), co-chair of the Senate Afterschool Caucus, led a Dear Colleague Letter to Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Capito and Ranking Member Baldwin urging $1.8 billion in FY 2027 funding for 21st CCLC, a $470 million increase over the FY26 enacted level. The letter garnered 41 Senate signatures, up from 34 last year, demonstrating growing support for the program.

Representative André Carson (D-Ind.-7) led a House Dear Colleague Letter urging House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member DeLauro to fund 21st CCLC at $2.09 billion in FY 2027. The letter draws on a robust and growing evidence base, including Wallace Foundation-supported studies showing that quality afterschool programs improve attendance, academic achievement, graduation rates, and student health.

Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-Calif.-44) along with thirty-four other Members of Congress sent a letter House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member DeLauro urging two key asks for FY 2027: an increase in 21st CCLC funding to $2.09 billion, and the inclusion of report language directing the Department of Education to prioritize accessibility to afterschool programs for students with disabilities. The letter highlights that students with disabilities face significant barriers to accessing afterschool programs, including difficulty finding inclusive programs and higher-than-average costs averaging $115 per week, and that these students stand to benefit greatly from quality afterschool programming through improved academic outcomes, social skills, and workforce readiness.

In addition to the three Congressional letters, hundreds of national, state, and local organizations sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees urging an increase of $750 million for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program in FY 2027, bringing the total to $2.09 billion. The letter, led by the Afterschool Alliance, was signed by more than 300 national, state, and local groups representing all 50 states.

These letters add to a growing chorus of bipartisan support in Congress, as appropriators begin crafting FY27 funding legislation. As in previous years, strong engagement from afterschool champions and stakeholders nationwide will be critical to ensuring continued investment in 21st CCLC.

What's ahead on appropriations

The next step in the FY 2027 appropriations process is for the House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees and full committees to write and mark up their FY 2027 spending bills, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education spending bill. The House has released their schedule for mark ups. The House LHHS Subcommittee markup is scheduled for June 5, with full committee consideration on June 9. The Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee is also accepting written testimony through May 22.

In April, Jodi Grant, the Executive Director of the Afterschool Alliance, submitted written testimony to the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee urging $2.01 billion in FY 2027 funding for 21st CCLC and calling on Congress to reject any proposal to consolidate the program into a block grant. Her testimony highlighted that demand for afterschool programs far exceeds availability, with only 1 in 3 qualified funding requests approved nationally and more than $4 billion in local grant requests denied over the past decade due to insufficient federal investment. Jodi highlights how 21st CCLC's state-based formula structure empowers local communities and faith-based and nonprofit providers to design programs that meet their unique needs, and that converting the program to a block grant would put more than 1,100 community-based organizations at risk of losing funding entirely.

You too can make your voice head. Now is an optimal time for you to take action and reach out to your Senators and Representative to let them know the value of local afterschool and summer learning programs.

We also hope you can join us at noon this Friday, May 8 for our monthly Policy Pulse Update to hear the latest on the FY27 appropriations process and where things stand.