This just in from our friends at Citizen Schools California:

As you may know, the California Legislature is still working to pass our state budget and state afterschool funding is facing a serious threat.  As reported by the CA AfterSchool Network, “The State Legislature’s Budget Conference Committee adopted language for a budget trailer bill that attempts to repeal the guaranteed funding allocation in Proposition 49, the After School Education and Safety (ASES) program, which currently funds over 3,800 after school programs statewide.

This language goes further than originally proposed by either house of the Legislature. It would submit an initiative to the voters that would give the Legislature the authority to substantially reduce after school funding or eliminate the state’s after school programs altogether.  If passed, the initiative would subject afterschool to an annual appropriation each year and deep cuts can be expected.  In addition, this will make it much harder to plan for and sustain the programs. 

The repeal of Prop 49 funding, which currently provides more than $400 million a year to support afterschool programs for low-income K-8 children, threatens thousands of existing afterschool programs and will not solve the budget shortfall.  

If you’re a California resident, we encourage you access the complete article on Proposition 49 and take action today!  Thank you from ServeNext, Citizen Schools California, and the young people who attend after school programs across the Golden State.