CAN Newsletter – Get Ready for Summer!
June 17, 2026
When one door closes, another opens, and for the youth in our Expanded Learning programs, that door leads straight to summer. As the school year wraps up, the adventure is just beginning. Summer programs are ramping up to welcome every student with open arms and open doors to experience opportunity, excitement, and learning that goes far beyond the classroom.
Summer starts in June, but it is also a month rich with celebration, honoring Pride Month and the freedom and resilience commemorated on Juneteenth, and our programs reflect those same values of inclusion, belonging, and community. In a time when our intersectional identities are being challenged, hold onto joy and let it be an act of resistance. Celebrate those who gave so much to make a better world for the generations that follow.
This summer, may our programs be a place where every young person feels seen, celebrated, and free to grow into who they are meant to be.
Resources
- Check out the resources from Human Rights Campaign for how you can celebrate Pride.
- The Trevor Project has resources for how to show allyship, even when faced with a hostile environment.
- Explore resources in a digital toolkit from the National Museum of African American History & Culture.
- Access a Children’s Guide on how to talk about slavery and freedom in age-appropriate ways, an activity to inspire hope and activism, and a children’s book and online resources list.
In This Newsletter:
Sound Waves: Stay Engaged in the Ecosystem Plan Listening Strategy
June 2026
As part of California’s Expanded Learning Ecosystem Plan process, we continue to deepen our statewide listening efforts through the pilot of the ExL Statewide Listening Toolkit: A Flexible Guide for Decolonized Data Collection and Collective Meaning-Making, launched in March 2026.
Happy 6th CANniversary, Nat Rosales!
June 29, 2026
June 29th marks Nat’s CANniversary, celebrating six years with the CAN Team! Nat joined as a Student Assistant and has spent the last nearly three years as a Specialist on the Policy & Outreach team, leading our social media and graphic design work. Nat has a true gift for design and communication, bringing intention and meaning to every color choice in everything we create. Recognizing the value and contribution that Nat brings to the team, they will be promoted to Senior Specialist in the coming weeks! Thank you for being your vibrant, authentic (green!) self, Nat. Congratulations, and here’s to many more!
You can learn more about Nat in our Staff Directory.
ExL Office Hours are BACK – Join Us This Summer!
July 24 & August 14, 2026, 12:00 - 1:00 PM
Stay informed. Stay connected. Stay inspired.
CAN is thrilled to kick off Summer 2026 ExL Office Hours in partnership with the California Department of Education’s Expanded Learning Division (EXLD) and the System of Support for Expanded Learning (SSEL).
Important CDE Updates
May & June 2026
The California Department
of Education has recently shared key reporting
information and other important updates related to Expanded
Learning Programs. See below for
- Update on 21st CCLC Cohort 16 Release: The RFA is tentatively scheduled for release in Fall 2026.
- Before & Afterschool Advisory Committee Meeting: Recording for the April 21, 2026 meeting is now available!
- CALPADS Update FLASH #305 – REVISED: Data Collections for AR and ELP
- ASSIST is Open: Fourth Quarter Expenditure & Second Semiannual Attendance Reporting
- ASES Round 2 GAN Extension and Allowable Uses
Publication Release: Data Snacks
June 2026
We are thrilled to release the full compilation of ELO-P Data Snacks, a celebration of the collective work, voices, and stories that brought it to life!
The Data Snacks were born out of a collaboration between the Research, Evaluation, and Strategy Committee (RESC), the California Department of Education’s Expanded Learning Division (CDE EXLD), and the California AfterSchool Network (CAN), bringing together a diverse group of interest holders to elevate stories of impact from California’s Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELO-P), established by Governor Newsom and the Legislature in 2021.
Download the publication and individual Data Snack infographics here!
2026 Play Day Activations
June 2026
Play Day, a project driving our Physical Health & Wellness Initiative, is excited to co-host activations throughout California this June 2026. CAN is excited to partner with the following OST Programs to offer youth, families, and communities opportunities for sport, play, and movement.
Northern CA Area:
Mark your Calendars for #SummerLearningWeek!
July 6-10, 2026
National Summer Learning Week, hosted annually in July by the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), celebrates the vital role summer programs play in keeping kids engaged, safe, and healthy, as well as how they close the opportunity gap. The week unites summer programs, educators, community leaders, and policymakers to raise awareness and recognize the programs making a real difference in student success.
Summer Learning Week Themes:
- Literacy & Learning
- Internships & Career
- Arts & Sports
- STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)
- Community & Leadership
Summer Planning Resources on YouTube!
Summer is almost here, and we wanted to remind folks about CAN’s YouTube Channel, which features 200+ videos on all things Expanded Learning, including our recent ExL Academies.
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!