Press Release: Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education unable to provide after-school care to over 800 students due to delays in distributing essential funds. ACT Now leading charge to advocate for funding state-wide.

Posted Tuesday, August 13, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Amy Rasmussen, Executive Director
Phone: 773-203-3537
August 13, 2024 — Chicago, IL

The good news! In May 2024, The Illinois Legislature voted to authorize $50,000,000 to support community learning centers, afterschool programs, and community schools…

The bad news? Delays in getting funds out to school districts and community-based organizations, like Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, means that programs cannot begin in just a few weeks.

CAPE will be forced to end its long-standing after-school programs for low-income, academically struggling students in some of Chicago’s most challenged neighborhoods. Starting mid-September, when after-school programs usually begin, over 800 students at 6 schools in Chicago and 4 schools in suburban West Chicago will no longer have access to safe learning spaces, and parents will not have access to a safe place for their children during the critical after-school hours. These are the times when children are most likely to get into trouble and when parents, who are usually working, will have to leave work to pick up their children early from school.

This is true for students in the North-Grand HS music club, located in Humboldt Park. With funds from 21CCLC, teaching artist Nick Meryhew, working with North-Grand faculty members Michelle Livas and Fabian Lopez, has worked with students to create their own musical groups — The Midnight Sweaters and IceBreakerz. You can read more here:

https://capechicago.org/blog/the-bands-of-cape-music-club-at-nghs/

Teaching artist Nick Meryhew says “the students in our music club programs are the kinds of kids that can easily get caught up in trouble. But through our after-school program, they have the power to learn on their own terms — they are the creators and makers. It’s tremendously powerful to see them thrive as a group. These are such powerful skills to learn for future success. They’ve even become entrepreneurs as they promote their performances in the community. I don’t know where we go from here.”

This is also true for students at Telpochcalli Elementary, Dyett HS for the Arts and George Washington HS, who have worked on community murals this past year during their after-school programming, attracting a wide range of students and parents as collaborators.

https://capechicago.org/blog/graffiti-and-mural-arts-are-student-favorites-in-cape-after-school/

Teaching Artist Patricia Okulinski adds: “the graffiti class at George Washington HS this summer was very impactful for students, especially incoming freshmen. Through learning about graffiti and mural art techniques and their impact on social environments, students developed social-emotional skills that will benefit them in school, work, and life. Understanding the messages that art can convey, students presented their ideas, elevating their confidence and motivating them to attend and participate in art-making.”

Without continued funding from the state of Illinois, CAPE must end programming at 10 after school sites:

George Washington High School, 3535 East 114th Street, Chicago, IL 60617
New Sullivan Elementary School, 8331 S Mackinaw Ave, Chicago, IL 60617
North-Grand High School, 4338 W. Wabansia Avenue, Chicago, IL 60639
Telpochcalli School, 2832 W. 24th Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60623
Walter Henri Dyett High School For The Arts, 555 E 51st St, Chicago, IL 60615
Waters Elementary School, 4540 N. Campbell Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625
Currier Elementary School, 800 Garys Mill Road, West Chicago, IL 60185
Gary Elementary School, 130 E. Forest Avenue, West Chicago, IL 60185
Leman Middle School School, 238 E. Hazel Street, West Chicago, IL 60185
Pioneer Elementary School, 615 Kenwood Avenue, West Chicago, IL 60185

CAPE is collaborating with Afterschool for Children and Teens Now Coalition (ACT Now), a statewide organization that provides professional development and advocacy support to afterschool programs and community schools in Illinois, to advocate on this issue. In an ACT Now survey, both school-based providers and CBOs shared the following:

20% decreased programming by June 2024
90% will end programs by August 31, 2024
20% laid off staff already
90% are planning more layoffs by the end of the calendar year – approximately 200 youth workers, instructors, and mentors.

In total, 39,000 youth will be impacted statewide.

Susan Stanton (Executive Director of ACT Now) states “not only are there clear and negative implications for students and families who rely upon these programs for safe spaces, child care, opportunities to accelerate learning, and the environment to form life-long connections with peers and mentors, but there are long-lasting impacts to the youth service organizations facilitating the experiences.” Organizations are losing institutional knowledge, vetted community leaders, and the human power to provide integral services across Illinois. The delayed funding access means a drastic decrease in making high-quality programs available for the most at-risk students in the state of Illinois.

Afterschool programs, like those facilitated by CAPE and organizations across Illinois, are effective strategies for supporting youth and families. The General Assembly stepped in to save programming in May 2024 by investing a historic $50,000,000 in new funds for expanded learning opportunities. However, if funding does not start flowing soon, more programs will close. CAPE and ACT Now stand ready to partner with lawmakers to ensure we protect these integral programs and the thousands of children they serve.

About CAPE:

For over thirty years, CAPE has been actively bringing together artists and educators in Chicagoland public schools with need. Drawing on proven, research-based techniques in arts education, CAPE pairs teaching artists and classroom teachers to collaborate and integrate music, visual arts, dance, digital media, and drama into their academic lessons throughout the school year, visit www.capechicago.org

About ACT Now:

ACT Now is part of a nationwide network of statewide afterschool networks with a counterpart in all 50 states. They are the leading voice for afterschool, community schools, and youth development programs in Illinois. For more information, visit https://actnowillinois.org/.

***
FOR FURTHER COMMENTS AND INTERVIEWS, please contact:

Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education
www.capechicago.org
1010 W. 35th Street, Suite 697
Chicago, IL 60609
Amy Rasmussen, Executive Director
amy@capechicago.org
cell: 773-203-3537

Afterschool for Children and Teens Now (ACT Now) Coalition
www.actnowillinois.org
101 North Wacker, 17th Floor
Chicago, IL 60606
Emma Giamberdino (she/her/hers)
Deputy Director of Policy, Communications, and External Affairs
SpencerE@actnowillinois.org
cell: 312-870-6140