The federal government is currently sitting on $6 billion in education funding. Delaying the release of these funds forces schools and nonprofits to make impossible choices about whom to serve...
Op-Ed by Richard Tagle, President and Executive Director of E3 Alliance
In a time when we so often bemoan the state of education and call for solutions to help students thrive, we already have an answer staring us in the face—yet we’re delaying it. The federal government is currently sitting on $6 billion in education funding, including desperately needed dollars earmarked for expanded learning opportunities for 1.4 million students nationwide. It’s time to release these funds. Now.
Expanded learning programs—after school, during summer, over weekends, and even through spring breaks—are more than just childcare. They are evidence-based engines for academic success, emotional wellness, and community building. In the midst of a youth mental health crisis, chronic absenteeism, and widening achievement gaps, withholding these funds is not just a missed opportunity—it’s a disservice and a betrayal of our promise to this nation’s children that they can and will reach their full potential.
Take Texas, for example. Over 132,000 students across 700 communities rely on support from 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLCs), the main federal funding source for afterschool and summer programs. Yet the need is far greater.
According to the Afterschool Alliance, two out of every three applications for these programs in Texas go unfunded. Meanwhile, an estimated 1.2 million children in the state are left unsupervised after school each day. This isn’t just an equity issue; it’s a public safety and economic issue as well.
Why do these programs matter so much? Because they work.
We at E3 Alliance know that the data on expanded learning opportunities is solid. Research shows that students who regularly participate in quality afterschool programs attend school more often, are more engaged, and perform better academically (Source: Afterschool Alliance).
In Texas alone, 2023 data from the U.S. Department of Education found that nearly half (45%) of students with GPAs below 3.0 improved their academic performance after joining 21st CCLC programs. Gains in standardized reading and math scores were equally impressive, with over 40% of students demonstrating measurable improvement.
But academic metrics tell only part of the story. These programs also foster essential life skills, reduce risky behaviors, and connect students to mentors and community institutions in ways that traditional classrooms can’t.
Teachers in Texas reported that 72% of students attending 21st CCLCs improved their engagement in learning—an outcome that can’t be measured in test scores but is deeply felt in classrooms.
What’s more, expanded learning opportunities play a crucial role in narrowing opportunity gaps and supporting working families. For many families—especially in low-income and rural communities—these programs are the only safe, enriching place for their children to go while they work. Delaying the release of these funds puts families under strain and forces schools and nonprofits to make impossible choices about whom to serve and whom to turn away.
The federal government must act swiftly. This $6 billion isn’t just a line item in a budget—it represents hope, structure, and opportunity for millions of young people. In every state, there are students waiting to be engaged, educators eager to help, and community organizations ready to serve. All they need is the green light.
We cannot afford to let red tape and partisan politics stall progress. Releasing these education funds is one of the most powerful and immediate steps we can take to lift students, families, and entire communities. The research is clear, the need is urgent, and the time is now.
Let’s not make our students wait another day.