| | | | VPOST and Afterschool In Richmond Featured in the News
Blaire Denson, Executive Director of VPOST and Barbara Couto Sipe, VPOST Leadership Advisory Council Member and President and CEO of NextUp authored a piece in the Richmond-Times Dispatch championing the tireless dedication of afterschool educators all throughout the pandemic. The article highlights how afterschool and summer enrichment programs didn’t skip a beat when schools shut down in March of 2020. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of using funds from the American Rescue Plan to address the great unmet demand from programs. | | | | Updates to the Afterschool and Summer Learning in the newest COVID Relief Package
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) is the federal stimulus package that has $30 billion federally that can be used for afterschool and summer learning programs as a part of pandemic recovery. The US Department of Education just released the COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students' Needs. Volume 2 specifies ways ARP funds can be used including:
Address the impact of lost instructional time by supporting the implementation of evidence-based interventions that respond to students’ social, emotional, and academic needs; Provide afterschool, or other out-of-school time, programs that address students’ social, emotional, and academic needs; Address the mental health needs of students, through using funds to hire counselors and other staff; Provide integrated student supports, through the use of full-service community schools; Provide students with evidence-based summer learning and enrichment programs, including partnerships with community-based organizations.
As the ARP funds arrive in Virginia, our state education and human service agencies will make the decisions on how to distribute funds. In terms of how these funds could be allocated to OST programs, the largest streams flow from Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). The following funds have been allocated to Virginia:
State education agency (SEA): Minimum Reservation for Afterschool Programs- $21,094,908, Minimum Reservation for Summer Enrichment- $21,094,908, Minimum Reservation for Learning Loss- $21,094,908, $105,474,538 LEAs (local education agencies): Total minimum funding for LEAs- $1,898, 541,676. Each district will be required to use 20% of those funds to address learning loss that may include afterschool and summer learning programs. The minimum funding for that is $379,708,335.
Keep in mind, just because these funds can be spent on out-of-school time programs, does not mean they will. This is why making your voice heard at the local level is so important. VPOST stands ready to support you in reaching out to local education leaders such as your school boards and superintendents to share what you can offer students to support learning recovery. If you are interested, please email us at info@v-post.org.
Webinar American Rescue Plan: How to Access Funds for Afterschool & Summer
Wednesday, April 21 at 12:00
This “must join” session will provide an overview of the funding opportunity and provide tools that local communities can use to help ensure that they realize the potential of the American Rescue Plan funding to bring more afterschool and summer opportunities to life – and help all children re-engage, re-connect, and recover. Register here
Afterschool Alliance has a wealth of information and resources on accessing the ARP Funds. For more info, please visit their page here. | | | VPOST is seeking high-quality proposals for our virtual summer learning series that guides educators through the latest research, pedagogies, and practices for offering math, reading, and family engagement in out-of-school time programs. After an entire year of interrupted learning due to the pandemic, afterschool programs serve as a critical role in academic recovery. Math and Reading are the most foundational blocks of learning and student achievement is never truly successful without taking a whole-child approach. That’s why working closely with families as partners is crucial. However, after a year of disconnection, family engagement is more challenging than ever. VPOST seeks to provide out-of-school time programs with the skills they need to get our children back to a firm foundation for success.
If you would like to share your expertise with our community, please review the full RFP by clicking the button below. | | | | From all of us at VPOST, we sincerely thank Afterschool Professionals who make a positive impact on the lives of young people. April 20-24 is Afterschool Professionals Appreciation Week. Show us how you're celebrating by using the hashtag #HeartOfAfterschool @VPOST4VAKIDS. | | NAA's Be Counted Campaign is a three-minute survey for those who work with or on behalf of young people in out-of-school time. Contribute to data that informs research, policies, practice, and professional development with the ultimate goal of supporting the afterschool workforce. |
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