Federal Stimulus: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Newly issued government guidance for state and local use of federal stimulus dollars offers new opportunities for afterschool programs to secure much needed funding. In particular, the Department of Education's guidance on Title I funding indicates that school districts may apply for waivers to Supplemental Education Services requirements, allowing school systems greater flexibility in supporting afterschool programs with stimulus dollars.

The guidance, issued by the Department of Education on March 6, describes the process by which stimulus dollars will be divided among the states, how states secure their share of the funding, and the types of expenditures suitable for stimulus funds. The guidance specifically cites afterschool programs as one of several possible programs eligible for the $13 billion appropriated for Title I funding... read more about it!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009 here in Colorado. On our site you can find information about where these funds will be going, especially as it relates to after-school and other expanded learning opportunities.

We will be updating this resource page with the latest and greatest news on these funds! 
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The Cost of Quality Out-of-School Time Programs

 Out-of-school time (OST) programs are increasingly expected to be of high enough quality to produce real benefits for children, but until now there has been little information on what such quality programming costs. This groundbreaking report fills that gap, providing a data-filled examination of the costs of 111 diverse, quality OST programs in six cities. The report finds that costs vary widely depending on a range of factors from program goals to times of operation and the ages of the children served. The report is also distinctive because it looks at the full costs of programming, including non-cash contributions OST operators often depend on such as free-of-charge space for programming.

To bring these findings to life, Wallace and the report’s research team also created an online “OST cost calculator” on Wallace’s website to help users calculate the costs of various options for high-quality OST programs. To visit the site – which includes the cost calculator, examples of program costs and options, quality strategies and other resources – click here.


A New Federal Website on Youth: FindYouthInfo.gov

The FindYouthInfo.gov website provides Federally-developed interactive tools and other resources to help youth-serving organizations and community partnerships. It is designed to benefit Federal agencies, youth service providers, and the youth-serving community. Tools and resources available on the website include resources to assist communities and others:
     
    • Key elements of effective partnerships, including strategies for engaging youth
    • Helpful community assessment tools
    • Mapping tools that generate maps of local and Federal youth programs
    • Searchable database of evidence-based programs to address risk and protective factors in youth
    • High-quality Federal publications and web links on youth issues
 Beginning in the spring of 2009, the website will be expanded to include strategic planning tools, interactive resources to support community partnerships, and other features.
 
Visit site: FindYouthInfo.gov