FY26 Spending Bill Encouraging for OST and 21st CCLC | | In case you missed it, some good news for the OST field occurred recently! The Senate Appropriations Committee released and marked up its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill, proposing $200.1 billion in base discretionary funding for FY2026. The committee approved the bill along bipartisan lines (a 26-3 vote). The 21st CCLC Initiative - the only federal funding stream dedicated to afterschool. before-school, and summer learning programs - would receive the same amount it did in FY2025: $1.329 billion.
VPOST will keep you updated as more developments occur, but please continue to use your voice to tell your federal legislators how important afterschool and summer learning programs are to families and communities! | | VPOST Serving on School-Age Workgroup | | The Workgroup on the Future of the Care of School-Age Children in Virginia, convened by the Virginia Department of Education, under two legislative directives: Senate Bill 1084 and the 2026 Virginia Budget (House Bill 1600, Item 125.10), has been meeting through the summer. VPOST has a seat on this workgroup and is represented by Quality and Professional Development Coordinator Christine Jones Monaccio.
At the most recent meeting, the Workgroup discussed the current status of health and safety of OST programs in childcare licensure; the current landscape of state support for OST program quality; and current understandings of the OST funding landscape. All recommendations from the Workgroup to strengthen these systems will ultimately inform a report to the Governor and General Assembly on December 1. | | | | Lights on Afterschool (LOA) is the biggest annual national celebration of the importance of afterschool and summer programs for young people and their families. It will be celebrated on Thursday, October 23, and is a prime opportunity for you to showcase the quality of your program.
Even though it may be a few months away, it's never too early to start thinking about how to celebrate! The Afterschool Alliance has you covered with resources to help you with event planning, invitations to policymakers and school-day professionals, and more.
Here are two easy things you can do after reading this article: [1] Share the youth-designed winning poster on your social media account(s) and print it to hang in a high-traffic area in your program; and [2] check out some cool previous LOA events to inspire you to host your own program! | | | | Using the free education platform, Mizzen Education can add excitement to your OST curriculum. However, they also offer opportunities for professional growth. On September 10, Mizzen's CEO, Carlos Santini will lead a webinar that is an extension of his recent keynote at the Beyond School Hours conference, where he explored how identity, storytelling, and relationships shape vibrant, human-centered youth programs - leading to more impactful learning experiences and elevated communities of practice. In this follow-up workshop/webinar sponsored by Foundations Inc., Mr. Santini will show how weaving these ideas into your everyday program culture can unlock authentic leadership in both staff and youth.
Here is the link to register. | | Thinking About Partnerships | | Kids start their school year on August 25 and will be running into your program shortly after that! What are you doing to ensure that they have a seamless day of learning?
School-community partnerships are a key component of student success. Check out this short, useful article from the National Afterschool Association on how OST programs can build strong partnerships with their school-day peers for the benefit of children and families. | | | | August is National Wellness Month. In this hi-tech, hustle-bustle world, the stressors of life are felt by all ages, and your afterschool or summer program should act as a space for renewal and calm. Here are some tips that can be easily implemented into your program to promote social, emotional, and physical well-being. Not only in August, but all year long! | | |
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