Ready to lose free after school?

[Anonymous]

The news is reporting that the federal grant that DCPS receives that pays for the after school program (OST) is not only being cut completely out of the "Big Beautiful" bill but also that the money that is supposed to be paid to DC and every other state that has one of these grants is being frozen even though they were supposed to send the latest installment of money on July 1. (I guess the feds are impounding the money). This is what pays for thousands of students in DCPS to get free after school programming so wondering what can be done. Is the council aware?

[Anonymous]

It was reported in the newspaper yesterday, so, yes, I would assume the council knows. I'm not sure what they can do about it right now. The cruelty by the Trump administration is the point.

[Anonymous]

It is both outrageous and now all too normal. So destructive.

[Anonymous]

It's absolutely going to happen. So if you have a child in OSTP then you'd better start thinking of alternatives now or hope the city comes up with money for the lost federal dollars. Or maybe if they just start charging the actual price of the program that would work too.

[Anonymous]

yes

[Anonymous]

That is so demoralizing. We can fortunately afford to pay if that’s an option but my child’s school has so many amazing after school opportunities besides aftercare that I just don’t think they will be able to offer anymore.

[Anonymous]

If the city can replace the lost federal dollars, then the program could most likely continue. Since it is targeted at poor students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the city can replace the lost federal dollars, then the program could most likely continue. Since it is targeted at poor students.

Um, Congress still refuses us our own money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the city can replace the lost federal dollars, then the program could most likely continue. Since it is targeted at poor students.

Um, Congress still refuses us our own money.

+1. The DC Government has no money and is swinging very conservative to cover future funding gaps to cover the next time Congress refuses to let us spend our own local money.

[Anonymous]

This is outrageous. Families made efforts to secure spots for the coming school year. Many families cannot afford alternatives

[Anonymous]

I have not seen this in the news as much as one would thing? WTOP? NBC4?

[Anonymous]

It was in the New York Times and Washington Post but both were from the national perspective. Probably doesn't help that the Post just got rid of it's stand alone Metro section. It's definitely a topic that a local news organization should cover. Any of y'all reporters??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have not seen this in the news as much as one would thing? WTOP? NBC4?

Did you search the sources you said didn’t cover it before saying they didn’t cover it?

WTOP, July 2:
https://wtop.com/education/2025/07/billions-in-grants-for-summer-school-english-instruction-delayed-during-trump-administration-review/

[Anonymous]

“Are there no workhouses?” sort of vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have not seen this in the news as much as one would thing? WTOP? NBC4?

Did you search the sources you said didn’t cover it before saying they didn’t cover it?

WTOP, July 2:
https://wtop.com/education/2025/07/billions-in-grants-for-summer-school-english-instruction-delayed-during-trump-administration-review/

I did. This is not DC OST specific. That’s what I was looking for.

That article is also AP. I was expecting something from a local reporter based on the thread title. Not a national AP written story not specific to DC.