State leaders recently allocated $25 million of new funding to afterschool programs in Michigan. It’s a good beginning, but more help is needed—and FAST.

Today’s youth are working to heal from the traumatic academic, personal, and social impacts of COVID-19. Extended learning time is essential to reconnect students with their learning and communities in ways that matter most. It’s precisely this kind of initiative that federal COVID relief funds are designed to support.

An additional $75 million in state funding is required to ensure afterschool programs can meet the needs of the more than 751,000 Michigan youth who are now waiting to access these essential learning opportunities.

Sufficient funding must be specifically appropriated through a dedicated line item that specifically names community-based programs as recipients and/or district partners.
Failure to invest properly today will result in a generation of learners that has been inadequately supported as they seek to achieve their personal and professional ambitions. It is our shared responsibility to ensure the youth of today have adequate preparation and timely access to the opportunities they most wish to pursue. Afterschool and summer learning deliver strong results on both counts.