Federal Delay Puts Afterschool Programs—and Kids—at Risk

Federal Delay Puts Afterschool Programs—and Kids—at Risk

Yes, the budget reconciliation was passed last week and yes, I will have plenty to say about it once I have read all 1,000 pages of it. But something else happened earlier last week that hasn’t gotten nearly as much media coverage, so we’re going to talk about it first. On June 30, with no advance warning, the U.S. Department of Education notified states that $6.8 billion in congressionally approved K–12 education funding—including a substantial portion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC)—would not be released as scheduled on July 1. The Trump administration has since stated that the funds are “under review,” but has offered no timeline for their release.

This decision comes at a critical juncture for schools and nonprofit providers, many of whom were counting on these funds to operate afterschool and summer learning programs that serve millions of students nationwide.

Why This Matters

The 21CCLC program is not just another line item in the federal budget. It is, without question, the most impactful education initiative I’ve worked with in my two decades of grant writing. It funds safe, high-quality programming during the hours when school is out but parents are still at work—exactly when children are most vulnerable to victimization or risky behavior. For many kids, these programs provide their only meal between school lunch and breakfast the next day.

I’ve walked the halls of dozens of these programs. I’ve met the staff. I’ve sat on cafeteria benches next to the children they serve. I’ve seen what’s at stake.

One moment in particular has stayed with me all these years: I was visiting a 21CCLC site when a program director introduced me to the kids as “the lady who makes this program possible.” A little girl in an oversized T-shirt and ragged shoes—no more than seven or eight—wrapped her arms around me in a hug so fierce it stopped me cold. That’s when I knew I had found my life’s work.

The idea that this same program—one that feeds, nurtures, and protects kids like her—is now being held hostage without explanation is not just bad policy. It’s unconscionable.

A Quiet Crisis

While headlines have focused on the fast-tracked federal budget reconciliation process, this quieter crisis has flown under the radar. The administration’s decision to withhold already-allocated funds could have devastating effects on afterschool and summer programs that are already stretched thin.

Some may close. Others will slash staff or cut services. All of them will be forced to make painful decisions—quickly and without clarity on when or if their funding will be restored. I am grateful to be in the middle of wrapping up a state grant for a 21CCLC grantee and in a position to quickly modify their ask in hopes of lessening the blow in case this “review” drags on indefinitely.

The administration claims it is reviewing the funds to ensure alignment with the President’s priorities. Yet the proposed federal budget for the next fiscal year eliminates 21CCLC funding entirely. For those of us who’ve built our careers supporting these programs, it feels less like a review and more like the opening salvo in an outright dismantling.

Legal and Long-Term Implications

Education advocates are questioning whether this move constitutes an illegal “impoundment of funds”—withholding money that Congress has already appropriated. Legal challenges may be forthcoming, but that won’t help programs on the brink right now. Families who rely on these services are left in limbo, unsure whether their children will have a safe place to go when school starts this fall.

The long-term consequences are deeply troubling. Without consistent access to enrichment, meals, mentorship, and supervision, the students most likely to fall through the cracks will be hit hardest. These programs aren’t extras—they are lifelines.

Where We Go from Here

I’ve spent the past week trying to channel my fury into something productive—yard work, long days, late nights at the computer finishing grant drafts for clients who are just as shocked and heartbroken as I am. But I can’t shake the feeling that we are on the edge of something devastating.

We need more than outrage. We need visibility. We need action. And we need to say, clearly and publicly: withholding these funds is a betrayal of the children and families who rely on 21CCLC, and a dereliction of duty to the communities Congress was elected to support.

The work isn’t over. But this is a gut-punch to me and I can’t help mourning what inspired my career in the first place.