This article was featured in our CIS Connections newsletter, The Double Issue. You can find the full publication here.
For the past 13 years, CIS of Kalamazoo has helped students succeed in school through 21st Century Community Learning Centers and currently serves 750 students in 15 after school sites—11 elementary and 4 middle school sites. CIS After School is available thanks to the support of federal dollars awarded through the Michigan Department of Education, 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
The federal budget for 2017-18 (which begins October 1, 2017) proposed by the President completely eliminates funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers. This would eliminate critical academic and social supports for our kids, families and community. 21st Century Community Learning Centers are a key part of helping students graduate from high school ready for college or a career and able to utilize the gift of The Kalamazoo Promise. Over the past 11 years, the graduation rate for KPS students has increased, in part because of the added learning readiness and learning support services afforded by the 21st Century CLC programs provided by CIS and its community partners.
Over the years, thousands of Kalamazoo Public Schools students have told this community how important it is to extend their learning day. Our children have written letters to public officials and stakeholders, visited City Hall and shared with their Mayor and City Commissioners the importance of extending the learning day through after school programs. They’ve made artwork, read essays, and held neighborhood marches to raise grown-ups’ awareness about the need for after school and summer learning opportunities.
The CIS Board has heard our children and is taking every action possible to advocate for continued funding of regular after school and summer programs through 21st Century Community Learning Centers. If you share this concern, you can speak up on behalf of the hundreds of students who benefit from approximately 440 extra hours of learning support per year. Our public officials (listed below) have an important job to consider these needs and the opinions of individuals who live in their communities. Help them understand what you think should happen.
Tags: 21st Century Community Learning Centers, CIS After School program, CIS Connections, Kalamazoo Promise
