It is vital for our schools to be well funded in order to bring stability to our society. However, over the course of several years, people have come to the conclusion that schools are massively underfunded. To combat this issue, the California Department of Education launched the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) which the department claims it “provides funding for afterschool and summer school enrichment programs for transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. For the youth to be empowered through extra programs, California is paving new ways for education in the modern era.
Past fundings
In terms of how much schools will receive, the answer changes each school year. Looking at a fairly recent time, one host of before/after school programs, Right at School, reports how “the California Department of Education has allocated $4 BILLION in ELO-P funds for the 2022-23 school year.” Although this seems like a lot, we have to consider that California is a large state. For more context, the $4 billion is set to be split up across the 1,019 school districts within California, reported by the California Department of Education. We can hope that in the coming years, enough will be granted to all of these schools so students, no matter how young, are able to take their education seriously in a fun and engaging way. Children learn from experiences extremely effectively, so funding these avenues are indeed beneficial. In fact, these programs are practically required as the California School Boards Association notes this need:
“Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, districts with a prior fiscal year Local Control Funding Formula unduplicated pupil percentage (UPP) of at least 75 percent are required to offer access to ELOP programs to all classroom-based students in grades TK-6 inclusive, and to ensure that access is provided to any student whose parent/guardian requests placement in an ELO program.”
What is expected in the future?
Regarding what will be available in the future, there have already been plans introduced. The San Diego Foundation observes how “In June, after months of debate and unknowns, Gov. Newsom signed off on the state’s 2024-2025 budget of $279 billion.” However, how much of the state’s budget gets portioned off to schools? The budget will be just like the previous one: $4 billion. Regardless that this portion of the budget isn’t increasing, we take this as a sign of commitment from the Newsome administration. This leads to the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program to expand even further and ensure the future of education will be empowered. Thankfully, other programs will also stay in place like how the After School Network references how it “maintains existing reimbursement rates for ASES and 21st CCLC programs.” There are many avenues that students can take to pursue their knowledge and growth which can only be more impactful in the coming years. ELO-P is taking California to new heights to their school districts and potential.
Organizations enable student success
There are several organizations that enable ELO-P to thrive by providing before/after school programs. As mentioned before, the organization Right at School provides these programs and other options like summer camps. They describe themselves as a place that students can feel free to learn and how “every afternoon, we get homework done first and then we explore a great big universe of learning activities, focusing on skills and subjects that help kids succeed in school.” Another organization today that helps out with different programs is Think Together. They remark on the work the California Department of Education had with ELO-P and proposes, “as your total solutions partner, Think Together is ready to plan and support your year two implementation.” Finally, there are other companies with partnerships with school districts. Looking at us at Tutor Zone, we support students within our tutoring industry as well as partnering with local districts and schools like ABC Unified and USC. We take education seriously which means we are constantly expanding and partnering with more prospective schools.
Then and now
In a past blog by Daisy Ocampo titled “Extended Learning”, there was a large emphasis on the supplemental curriculum even with a facet towards Tutor Zone’s In the Zone program to support students in writing and math. While this is still relevant and continuously growing, other avenues of progress are seen. Via ELO-P, there are both personal and professional development opportunities for those who are affected. Supplemental instructions provide a lasting impact with the use of what All Things Science, an organization bringing STEM opportunities to schools, refer to as mentors. Teachers are not always teachers, but act as role models and mentors to guide these students supported by ELO-P to strive for more. With engaging activities that make the student interact hands-on, they learn skills to become self-sufficient and as well as leaders. In the modern world, having a balance of being independent and being someone who can lead others is something to strive for. These enrichment opportunities enable students to utilize their current skills, hone their desired skills, and unlock new hidden skills. Through the years of support from ELO-P funding, we can see that today we have higher standards in regards to the curriculum’s content to let students learn in the way they need along with building communities within local organizations.
Sources:
https://www.atsclub.org/post/unlocking-potential-the-impact-of-expanded-learning-opportunities-programs-elop-in-education
https://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/post/californias-budget-agreement-expanded-learning
https://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/post/californias-governor-proposed-budget-2024-25
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/ad/ceffingertipfacts.asp
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ex/elopinfo.asp
Expanded learning opportunities
https://www.rightatschool.com/elop/
The Importance of Investing in Expanded Learning
Expanded Learning Opportunities Program