Reply to PSA: Fairfax County Proposed Budget CANCELS Middle School After School Programs

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think people are confused. NCS, which runs SACC, has basically a teen version of SACC at some sites. That’s what’s being proposed to be cut because the [b]middle school clubs/sports[/b] serves that purpose.

This is the program being referenced: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/neighborhood-community-services/afterschool-programs[/quote]

No one is confused here. The link you referenced points to MSAS which is being cut in its entirety. The FC budget includes it in reductions under NCS (neighborhood and community services). [b]This program is the entirety of middle school school clubs.[/b] There is one sport - track/cross country - that is not included in MSAS. [/quote]

If the bolded is accurate, please explain why the proposed budget doc states "FCPS has been expanding its offering of after-school programs, including clubs, activities and school sports, outside of MSAS program that could offer viable alternatives for teens to participate in structured and safe activities."

Please explain like I'm five. Thank you.

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/budget/sites/budget/files/Assets/documents/fy2026/advertised/volume1/79.pdf[/quote]

They have been starting to expand, yes.  They went from 0 sports to 2 (fall cross country and spring track).

Some schools have grants with outside agencies. The middle school where I teach does something through a local theater outreach, and a corporation sends in volunteers once a month to do "girls in code".  (The former has been there consistently for the past 5 years, the latter is hit of miss, we've had it some years but not all).

Everything else is paid for through this after school program that's on the chopping block. Anything staffed by an FCPS employee: Art club, math counts, science olympiad, anime club, open gym, world cup soccer tournament, karate club, korean club, chess club, gardening club, cooking club, etc...teachers get $15/hour to run these programs.  $15/hour and you must have at least 12 kids or you don't get paid. This seems like the cheapest form of positive encouragement/growth the county could create for this age bracket.

Is it required? Of course not. I'd wager the majority of school systems around the country have nothing of the sort. But it was created for a reason--because years ago, when it was initiated, research showed this time frame of life was the biggest determining factor of whether a kid was going to become addicted to drugs, join a gang, and begin a police record. If they could make it to high school without any of that happening, they were far more likely to graduate. If the research would still hold true today, it seems short sighted to cut the programs, as they'll pay for it down the road in police and social services instead.[/quote]

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