As Congress prepares to decide what will likely be its final major act of COVID support for some time, many children and youth are falling behind their peers, both during virtual learning and “out of school,” and many have reported suffering emotionally from the changes brought by the crisis. Parents and caregivers are struggling to comprehend a world where their schools remain somewhat closed even though they also report being ready to wait out the pandemic. Families need access to high-quality Out-of-School Time (OST) learning programs, which not only care for children but also help them catch up and keep up with their learning.

OST programs are essential to Michigan and America’s recovery. OST programs support students’ social and emotional well-being, and can help youth reconnect and re-engage after this period of loss and isolation. In many of Michigan’s communities, OST programs, and their partnerships with their local schools, were a lifeline for underserved communities before the pandemic, and in the months immediately following initial closures, and now they are more important than ever. OST programs stand ready to help parents return to work — and keep kids safe and learning – or to continue to serve remotely at increased capacity. Now is the time to invest in OST programs.

In upcoming conversations with your colleagues, we urge you to champion the need for the following supports, all of which have been mirrored in legislative proposals in your body.
• Significant direct aid for state and local governments
• $500 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers
• $50 billion for child care
• Direct nonprofit aid
• Additional funding for K-12 Education

[Ask language will look slightly different for House members because they already passed the HEROES Act but support the same priorities]

Thank you for your work on behalf of students and their families in Michigan.