Gov. Peter Shumlin recently signed into law H.480, now Act 48, which establishes a fund aimed at bringing expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) to communities across Vermont.
Creation of the fund is part of the Miscellaneous Education Bill passed by the Legislature.
There is no money budgeted by the state for the fund, but the fact it’s been created means fundraising to help pay for more afterschool programming can happen, advocates in the afterschool movement said.
The Vermont Agency of Education will have fiscal responsibility over the fund, according to the new law.
According to a news release sent out by Vermont Afterschool, Inc., “The Expanded Learning Opportunities Special Fund will be able to accept grants, donations and contributions from any private or public source to fund ELOs in Vermont, including afterschool and summer learning programs.”
A subcommittee of the PreK-16 Council has been established to develop recommendations on a statewide grant program to award future funding, the organization said.
The committee will also work to secure private or federal money to grow the fund, the news release stated.
Rep. Mike Mrowicki, D-Putney, sponsored the original bill that led to the creation of the new fund to help build and strengthen afterschool and summer programs across Vermont.
“We need to start taking steps to make sure all children in Vermont have access to these programs,” Mrowicki said. “This bill will begin to build the infrastructure we need to determine how best to make it happen.”
Holly Morehouse, director of Vermont Afterschool, Inc., said, “Vermont Afterschool is extremely proud of the positive work happening in expanded learning programs around the state. But there’s still a huge need. Almost 22,000 children and youths are alone and unsupervised between 3 and 6 p.m.”
Morehouse said Act 48 is “… an important first step to ensuring that every child in Vermont has access to quality, expanded learning programs.”
“This access will keep children healthy and safe, inspire learners, support working families, and help Vermont achieve the educational goals we have set,” she said.
Nicole Miller, director of the REACH! afterschool and summer program in Hardwick, described what such programs contribute: “We’re providing so much more than child care alone. We’re providing positive opportunities and outcomes for our kids.
“It’s these types of afterschool and summer learning programs that we want to make sure all children and youth have access to, regardless of how much money their family earns or where in Vermont they live,” Miller said.
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