Mark Dynarski of the Brookings Institution recently evaluated the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC), a program that provides federal funds for before- and after-school programs for at-risk children.  Dynarski argues that the program is glorified day care,

To date, more than $12 billion of federal tax money has been spent on a program that a preponderance of evidence indicates doesn’t help students. There are other beneficiaries of afterschool programs, however. Working parents may need inexpensive childcare, and having their children stay longer at school keeps them in a trusted setting. The national evaluation’s finding that students attended only a couple days a week on average is consistent with parents viewing programs as childcare.

But there is already a federal childcare program, much larger than the 21st Century program. The $5 billion ‘Child Care and Development Block Grant’ program gives money to states to support childcare for low-income working families. If the basis of the 21st Century program is to provide childcare, folding its resources into the childcare program seems appropriate.

Recently, the White House called for agencies to conduct more evaluations and embrace evidence to support their budget requests. Yet the 2016 budget request for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is the same as past years: $1.16 billion. Perhaps this is simply program inertia, like a cruise ship that keeps moving forward after its engines are cut. It’s not indicative of an evidence-focused process.

For information on North Carolina’s CCLC grants, go here.