Students and families across Northeast Ohio might not have access to after-school programs at dozens of locations across Northeast Ohio this fall if a federal funding freeze continues.
The Trump administration has frozen about $6 billion for several federal education programs, including the 21st Century Community Learning Center program, which funds after-school program providers across the country. Because of that, Dave Smith, executive director of Horizon Education Centers said Tuesday he sent layoff notices to 97 tutors, teachers and others who work at 17 after-school program sites across Cleveland, Elyria and Lorain.
"Right now we're telling our parents and our staff that this program is gone, because, I mean, parents need to find programs for their kids for the fall," Smith said.
The Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio said in a press release Tuesday the 21st Century Community Learning Center freeze affects about one-third of their 34 after-school programs throughout the region.
“While this summer’s programming is not affected, this sudden pause in funding has forced us to begin reevaluating how to most efficiently and effectively operate in the coming school year, including determining which club locations we can sustain,” Boys and Girls Club of Northeast Ohio CEO Allen Smith said. “We are working closely with our team and partners to assess our options and make the most strategic use of available philanthropic and government resources.”
The nonprofit in the press release said it's hopeful the funding will be restored. More than 20 states have filed suit to try to stop the federal funding freeze.
Horizon Education Centers' before-school and after-school programs primarily serve students of low-income families who can't afford childcare, according to Smith. He said the federal freeze, if continued, could potentially wipe out "almost all" of the 21 after-school programs offered by nonprofits in the city of Cleveland. The number of after-school programs offered in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio was already reduced significantly last year after state funding cuts and the end of pandemic era programs provided by Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
"The reason after-school is important is because it does three things; It helps kids academically, it keeps kids out of trouble and it allows parents to work," Smith said.
Adam Shank, executive director of the Ohio Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, an advocacy organization for those clubs, said the funding freeze could impact summer programs throughout the state and country. He predicted a significant economic fallout for parents and caregivers working 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. jobs if many afterschool programs disappear.
"We have some data from Boys and Girls Clubs that I would assume extrapolates out to all or similar after-school providers, that shows that like 79% of our caregivers are fully dependent on clubs and after school programs for essentially childcare, a safe place for their kids to go in between school and when their parents are done with working hours," Shank said.
