CAN Newsletter – Finding Strength in Uncertain Times
July 10, 2025
As we begin a new fiscal year, we continue
to navigate uncertain challenges. As you likely know, the Trump
Administration has announced that 21st CCLC funding for summer
and afterschool programs is being illegally withheld.
As mentioned in our post shared last week, in California, over $800 million in federal funding is being withheld, which represents about 17% of California’s federal education budget. This is also a devastating loss of $146 million in 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grants, which support summer programs that started last week and are the only dedicated funding stream for high school students in afterschool and summer learning programs.
What does this mean?
Kids will be put at risk – and will lose ground. As youth developers, we understand the lasting harm withholding these funds will cause for youth and families. This could leave more children and youth unsupervised and at risk, more academic failures, more hungry kids, more chronic absenteeism, higher dropout rates, more parents forced out of their jobs, and a less STEM-ready and successful workforce as our child care crisis worsens dramatically. This could also have a detrimental impact on the workforce, as dedicated staff employed at 21st CCLC programs may join our state’s unemployment system.
We know that afterschool programs keep kids safe, spark learning, and give working families peace of mind. Parents and voters overwhelmingly support funding for these programs, recognizing them as essential for student safety, education, and family well-being. The Administration is out of touch with American families.
What can you do?
Take action! Without immediate action, programs across the state may be forced to shut down, leaving young people without safe, engaging places to learn and families scrambling for care. Now is the time to contact all Members of Congress where you have programs in operation and to sign on to the Afterschool Alliance’s petition demanding a release of these funds. Afterschool and summer learning programs are essential to the success of students and families, schools, our future workforce, and our economy.
- Sign on to the Afterschool Alliance Petition
- Call your Congress Members
- Email your Congress Members
- Notify your community and policymakers on social media.
Lastly, CAN is of the field and for the field. We hear you, we see you, and together we will find strength in these uncertain times. We invite you to join us and our friends for our first CA Cares Community Space on July 16, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. A virtual collective caring community space for Expanded Learning and OST Practitioners in California. Check out our post below for registration and details.
In This Newsletter:
CA Expanded Learning Community Space
July 16, 2025, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
In these times of uncertainty and unrest, this virtual space is being held for California’s Expanded Learning (EXL) and Out-of-School Time (OST) community to come together, not for directives or formal answers, but to be in community, grounded in care, connection, and shared experience.
This is a drop-in space where you are welcome to come as you are and stay as long as you need. The goal of this session is to listen, to hear what’s on each other’s hearts and minds, to understand what the field wants to know more about, and to begin building a space where no one feels alone in navigating what lies ahead.
Summer 2025 EXL Office Hours Begins Next Week!
Select Fridays in July & August
The California AfterSchool Network (CAN), in partnership with the California Department of Education (CDE) Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) and other members of the System of Support for Expanded Learning (SSEL), is co-hosting virtual Summer 2025 Expanded Learning Office Hours this July and August.
Early Registration Coming Soon for the 2026 Site Coordinator Symposium!
February 4, 27-28, 2026
We are excited to announce that Early Registration will open soon for the 9th Annual 2026 Site Coordinator Symposium in Long Beach, CA! Presented by the California AfterSchool Network, in partnership with the Site Coordinator Network, and supported by the California Department of Education Expanded Learning Division and the System of Support for Expanded Learning.
Join us virtually on February 4, 2026, in person on February 27-28, 2026, or both! Our In-Person Symposium will occur at the Hilton Long Beach in Long Beach, CA.
Rooting in Roles for Collective Impact: The Ecosystem Plan Design Process
Join the Ecosystem Advisory Team!
As we navigate the complex, interconnected challenges facing our youth-serving ecosystem, it’s essential to pause and reflect on how each of us is uniquely positioned to shape change. One tool that helps ground and clarify my purpose in moments like these is Deepa Iyer’s Social Change Ecosystem Map. It reminds us that not everyone has to be the “hero”, in fact, sustainable change requires a diversity of roles and approaches. Whether you’re a builder, storyteller, healer, frontline responder, or visionary, your contributions matter. And so do the contributions of those around you.
New School-Based Mental Health Initiative
CAN is partnering with the School-Linked Partnership and Capacity Grants initiative, a part of the statewide Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), as a subject matter expert. The School-Linked Partnership and Capacity Grants are a one-time investment enabling educational entities to build the necessary capacity, infrastructure and partnerships needed to achieve a long-term and sustainable funding model for school based behavioral health services. This funding aims to improve fee-schedule readiness (i.e., increase the number of Local Educational Agencies who meet fee schedule’s operational requirements) and expand access by increasing the availability, equity and range of behavioral health services and growing capacity through training and development of infrastructure.
In the subject matter expert role, CAN will support capacity building for the new school-based and school-linked mental health services that leverage and partner with the Expanding Learning field.
CDE Update: FY24-25 21st CCLC and ASSETs GAN Extension
June 23, 2025
The California Department of Education, Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) has extended the grant award notifications for all 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), and After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) programs from a normal 12-month grant period to a 15-month grant period ending on September 30, 2025, for fiscal year (FY) 2024–25. These programs may extend FY 2024–25 funds for a period of three months, beginning July 1, 2024–September 30, 2025.
Seeds to Solutions
FREE Empowering Lessons on Environmental Solutions
Ten Strands, in partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education has developed Seeds to Solutions free instructional resources on environmental challenges and solutions for grades K–12.
Seeds to Solutions focuses on California-specific environmental issues and is intended as a starting point. Developed with input from community groups serving disproportionately affected areas, it includes real-world topics like food waste, water use, and wildfire management. The resources are age-appropriate, trauma-informed, and designed to empower students to investigate environmental challenges and take action in their communities.
Staying Nourished Over the Summer
SUNBucks
California will soon be releasing electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards for the SUNBucks food program for Summer 2025. In the summer of 2024, California was one of the first states in the nation to launch SUN Bucks. In its first year, nearly $500 million in food purchases were made and the families and caregivers of more than 4.3 million California children activated their SUN Bucks cards.
National Summer Learning Week
July 14-18, 2025
“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” – Kay Redfield Jamison
It’s National Summer Learning Week! This week celebrates the vital role summer programs play in keeping kids engaged, safe, and healthy while school is out. Expanded Learning programs offer enrichment year-round, but summer brings unique opportunities for playful, movement-based learning under the sun. Let’s make the most of it this week and all summer long!
ASAPconnect is Hiring a Specialist!
ASAPconnect is seeking a Specialist to join their team! This is a full-time hybrid position with some travel required within California.
ASAPconnect was launched in 2008 and has been a fiscally sponsored project of the Foundation for California Community Colleges (the Foundation) since 2022. ASAPconnect helps ensure that children and youth across California benefit from high-quality out-of-school learning and enrichment opportunities, resulting in positive developmental, academic, and wellness outcomes and increased readiness for college, career, and civic life.
STEM Learning with Rocket Races
Looking for a high-engagement STEM resource? The scientific, technological, engineering and mathematical foundations of rocketry provide exciting learning opportunities for authentic hands-on, minds-on experimentation. This Rocketry Educator Guide offers hands-on activities that bring the science of rockets to life.
Ecosystem Plan Sound Wave
July 2025
The Design Team wants to hear your perspectives and experiences! This helps us make the invisible, visible and increases our capacity to design brave and nurturing spaces of collective power.
This poll will help us understand how you currently show up in the youth-serving ecosystem, what you need to thrive, and where we can grow stronger together.
Meet the CAN Team!
Social Media Campaign
The CAN team has grown over the last year and we want to highlight all of our amazing new (and existing) team members! We have started a campaign to showcase our team where you can learn a little more about our paths that have led us to CAN!
Check out the posts on our social media pages:
Check Out Our Other Newsletters!
Access the CAN newsletter archives to view past newsletters today! You may be interested in some of our other newsletters as well:
CAN Health and Wellness Newsletters
- Get informed on the connections between afterschool and Whole Child Health and Wellness.
- Subscribe today!
CAN STEAM Newsletters
- Get informed about the Million Girl Moonshot project and access other STEAM resources.
- Subscribe today!
CAN Policy Newsletter
- Get informed about policy-related content, including national, state, and local updates, that supports our Expanded Learning programs.
- Subscribe today!