Celebrating 20 years of Prop 49!

This November marked the 20th anniversary of the passage of Prop 49, the largest state-funded expansion of afterschool services in the nation’s history. This historic investment in afterschool programming led to the creation of our own YMCA Expanded Learning Programs, and is the reason our programs still operate today!

The passage of this proposition marked a major milestone in the history of afterschool services and has had a tremendous impact on the lives of students and their families over the years.

Let’s take a closer look at how we got here.
 

2002 - Proposition 49

In November 2002, California voters passed Proposition 49, which mandated $550 million each year to be available for K-9 afterschool programs only if the state achieved a financial trigger to release the funds. This bill was a major step forward for afterschool programs in California as it provided a steady source of funding for these programs and allowed them to expand their reach throughout the state.

2006 – Senate Bill 638

In 2006, Senator Torlakson authored Senate Bill 638, allowing easier access to Proposition 49 funds by eliminating some of the restrictions on how they could be used. With this bill, programs were able to use funds more flexibly and make sure they were reaching as many students as possible with their services. This bill also enabled important initiatives such as increased language support for English learners.

2007 – ASES Funding

In 2007, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 638 into law, releasing $430 million to fund afterschool programs through ASES funding. That same year, California also received federal funding to administer the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program (21st CCLC), which provides additional funds specifically for high-needs schools that often lack resources needed for afterschool programming. Through these two sources of funding, afterschool providers have been able to offer quality programming for millions of students throughout California over the last two decades.

For 20 years now, Proposition 49 has made an incredible impact on students’ access to quality afterschool programming that helps them grow academically and socially while providing much-needed relief for working parents who need a safe and reliable place for their kids to spend time when school is out.

Prop 49 and the Y

As one of San Diego County’s largest expanded learning providers, we are grateful for this dedicated funding and can see the direct impact it has on children, families, and school districts in our community. With this dedicated state funding, we were able to serve 8,572 students at 101 sites across the county this past year. We are proud of what has been accomplished over these two decades and are excited about what lies ahead as we continue our mission of helping children and youth reach their fullest potential.

While these investments have had a tremendous impact on expanding access to quality afterschool programming in our community over the past 20 years, there is still more work to be done! We must continue advocating for more access to high-quality afterschool programs so that all students have access to enriching experiences outside of school hours. Here’s to celebrating 20 years of progress and working together toward future success!

 

Want to see YMCA Expanded Learning Programs in action? 

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