California Leads the Nation in After-School Investment
Law enforcement report shows nearly 2,000 low-income schools still lack programs, endangering public safety
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — March 11, 2010
Contact: Jennifer Ortega, (916) 837-3904, jortega@calfightcrime.org
SAN FRANCISCO — California is leading the nation in its commitment to after-school programs. According to a new report released today by a statewide anti-crime organization, state- and federally-funded after-school programs provide safe and enriching activities for more than 400,000 California students each day, thanks to significant investments over the last dozen years. Yet many more low-income children are left unsupervised because there are still not enough programs to meet demand.
California’s After-School Commitment: Keeping Kids On Track and Out of Trouble, by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California – a bipartisan, non-profit anti-crime organization led by 400 sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys and victims of violence – shows that California invests over three times more in after-school programs than the remaining 49 states combined.
“Quality after-school programs are a crucial weapon against crime,” said San Mateo Police Chief Susan E. Manheimer, President of the California Police Chiefs Association and executive committee member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California. “Our public safety depends on California’s continuing, strong leadership on after-school programs.”
Crime-prevention and academic benefits
Research shows that after-school programs can help shut down the “prime time” for juvenile crime, which is 2-6 p.m. in California. It is also the time when kids are more likely to become the victims of crime. After-school programs offer constructive alternatives to gangs, drugs and crime. They also provide academic assistance and can keep students engaged and excited about going to school, and boost school-day attendance, academic achievement and graduation rates. For example, after three charter schools in South Central Los Angeles implemented THINK Together’s after-school program for the majority of their students, twice as many students scored at proficient or above on English and math standardized tests.
State, federal and private funding
The majority of funding for California’s after-school programs came from a 2002 voter-approved measure, which received wide bipartisan support and was championed by the Governor prior to his election. Proposition 49 – the After School Education and Safety (ASES) Act – provides $550 million each year to programs aimed at students from low-income families.
“After-school programs are essential for children everywhere. Not only do they keep kids away from gangs, drugs and violence, they boost confidence and self-esteem,” said Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “And that is exactly why I have fought so hard for them here in California.”
Making this money go even farther, schools have leveraged state funding to raise over $1 billion in cash and in-kind matching funds since the state program was founded. Private companies, for example, see the benefit in keeping kids safe and productive after school, so they donate to local programs in their community.
“I’m proud to see California setting a great example for the rest of the nation,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, board chairman of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. “The success of its after-school commitment should encourage the state to protect funding for programs that can help prevent crime and boost students’ academic achievement.”
Unmet need
Unfortunately, California still falls short of meeting the after-school needs of students and families. Nearly 2,000 schools in low-income neighborhoods are still without state or federal after-school programs and many interested schools have been turned away due to lack of funding. Additionally, more than half of existing state programs surveyed have waiting lists, resulting in thousands of kids being left out of programs.
Even in tough budget years, California can stay on the road to economic recovery if it keeps employment up and crime down. After-school programs keep more Californians working in many ways; state- and federally-funded programs employ 20,000 workers, and parents who cannot afford child care can go to work instead of staying at home to supervise their children. After-school programs also bolster the future workforce because many of the students participate in activities that provide career skills and community service opportunities.
The law enforcement leaders and crime survivors of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California call on policymakers to prevent crime by protecting and, as the economy recovers, increasing access to quality after-school programs.
To be put in touch with a local law enforcement leader or an after-school program that is willing to work with the media, please contact Jennifer Ortega at (916) 837-3904.
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Report: California’s After-School Commitment (1.3 MB)
Appendix A: After-School Programs by County (150 KB)
Appendix B: After-School Programs by Legislative District (300 KB)
Appendix C: Waitlist Data (100 KB)
Statewide Press Release (650 KB)
Localized Press Releases
Mendocino & Humboldt Counties Release
Monterey, Santa Cruz & San Benito Counties Release
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo & Ventura Counties Release
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FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS California is a bipartisan, non-profit, anti-crime organization led by 400 sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys, and victims of violence. Its mission is to take a critical look at the research about what really works to keep kids from becoming criminals. Among the strategies proven to be effective are preschool, after-school programs, child abuse and neglect prevention programs, dropout-prevention programs and intensive interventions for juvenile offenders. www.fightcrime.org/ca
