Day camp, summer school and after-school programs in limbo during Trump administration review
Washington – Camp suppliers and schools warn that a freeze on the financing of the Trump administration could destroy summer for low -income American families and eliminate certain programs after school next year.
The administration retains more than $ 6 billion in federal subsidies for programs after school and summer, teaching English language, literacy of adults and more as part of a review to guarantee that subsidies align with the priorities of President Donald Trump.
This decision leaves states and schools in limbo because they budget the programs this summer and in the next school year, by introducing a new uncertainty at the time – or if – they will receive money. He also opens the way to a confrontation with the Democrats, who say that the administration flouts the law by retaining the money that Congress is appropriate.
Without money, schools say that they will not be able to provide care after free or affordable school for low -income children while their parents work, and they may not be able to hire staff to teach children who learn English. Even the current lessons or camps this summer could be in danger.
For example, the clubs of boys and girls from America depend on part of the money retained to manage camps and other summer programs for low -income students. If the funding is not restored soon, the programming could end in mid-season, said the president of the club of boys and girls, Jim Clark.
Programming after school in the fall could also take a hit. “If these funds are blocked, the benefits will be rapid and devastating,” said Clark. Up to 926 boys and girls clubs could close, affecting more than 220,000 children, the group said.
The programs based on money expected it to be distributed on July 1, but an opinion from the education department published Monday announced that money would not be published while the programs are being revised. The department has not provided a calendar and warned that “decisions have not yet been made” on subsidies for the next school year.
“The ministry remains determined to ensure that taxpayers’ resources are spent in accordance with the priorities of the president and the legal responsibilities of the ministry,” wrote the officials of the Ministry of Education in the opinion, which was obtained by the Associated Press.
The ministry has returned questions to the management and budget office, which did not respond to a comment request.
In Gaddden City schools in Alabama, officials say they will have no choice but to close their program after school by serving more than 1,200 low -income students if federal funds are not released. There is no other way to compensate for frozen federal money, said Janie Browning, who runs the program.
Families that rely on programs after school would lose a large source of childcare services that keeps children safe and committed while their parents work. About 75 programs employees after the district school could lose their jobs.
“These hours between school and 6 hours are really the hours of the day when students are most at risk for things that may not produce great results,” said Browning. “It would be devastating if we lost the schooling buoy after school for our students and families.”
Jodi Grant, executive director of the afterchoon alliance, said that money restraint could damage the economy.
Some defenders fear that subsidies will be intended for elimination, which could force schools to reduce programs and teachers. Trump’s budget proposal in 2026 called for the study to zero programs, noting that the administration considers them to be useless.
Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., Held the administration to spend money like the congress.
“Every day when this funding is selected, it is a day when school districts are forced to worry about whether they will have to reduce programs after school or dismiss teachers instead of worrying how our children can succeed,” Murray said in a statement.
The six review grant programs include a known as 21st century community learning centers. This is the main source of federal funding for extracurricular and summer apprenticeship programs and supports more than 10,000 local programs nationally, according to AFTERSCHOOL Alliance. Each state directs its own competition to distribute the subsidies, which totaled $ 1.3 billion this exercise.
Also under examination are $ 2 billion in subsidies for the professional development of teachers and efforts to reduce the size of the classes; $ 1 billion for academic enrichment subsidies, often used for science education and mathematics and accelerated learning; $ 890 million for students who learn English; $ 376 million to educate children of migrant workers; and $ 715 million to teach adults how to read.
These programs represent more than 20% of the federal money that the Columbia district receives for the education of kindergarten in the 12th year, according to an analysis of the Learning Policy Institute, a reflection group. California alone has more than $ 800,000 in limbo, while Texas has more than $ 660,000.
“Trump illegally puts billions of dollars appropriate by the Congress to serve students this exercise,” Tony Thurmond, a superintendent of California, in a statement. “The administration punishes children when states refuse to respond to Trump’s political ideology.
The loss of funds could “put several other school districts in extreme financial distress,” said Chris Reykdal, a superintendent of public education in the state of Washington. The districts have already adopted budgets, planned and hired staff programs, assuming that they would receive money, said Reykdal.
If the financing freezing remains, children learning English and their parents would be particularly affected. Some districts use money to pay summer programming designed for English learners, family engagement specialists who can communicate with parents and professional development training for staff. Rural districts would be the hardest affected.
“They are trying to send a message,” said Amaya Garcia, who oversees education in New America, a leftist thinking group. “They do not believe that taxpayer financing should be used for these children.”
The Umatilla school district in the east of the rural regions of Oregon – with a considerable population of migrant families and students learning English – is based strongly on federal funding of its programs after school and summer schools. The superintendent Heidi Sipe says that she will soon meet state officials to find out if the district will have to plan an early end at the summer school, a 20% of students use. Come this fall, if federal money remains frozen, it will have to dismiss staff and eliminate the programs after the school present by about half of the students in the district.
“It is an essential service in our community because we do not have an approved daycare for school age,” she said.
Sipe said that it was particularly frustrating to face these funds put in limbo because the school district was in the midst of a five -year grant period.
“It seems avoidable,” she said, “and it seems that we could have done a better planning job for American children.”
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