As children head back to school, families everywhere are navigating the familiar juggling act of school, work, sports and after-school care. As a single, working mother raising three boys, I know firsthand how essential after-school programs are — not just as a convenience, but as a lifeline.
When my sons were younger, I worked as a certified nursing assistant in a nursing home, often taking long shifts that stretched well past school dismissal. I depended on after-school programs to keep my children safe and supported. But these programs grew into much more than a place for them to stay until I got home. They were a place my boys found mentors, help with homework and a community that shaped their futures.
As children start another school year, too many families face uncertainty about what happens after school. After-school programs across Illinois and the nation are hanging on by a thread, threatened by chronic underfunding and bureaucratic delays. Many have already closed or reduced services, leaving hardworking families scrambling.
This is more than a budget issue. It’s a crisis that affects our youth, especially those in Black and Brown communities who rely on these programs as one of the few support systems still standing. After-school programs offer more than supervision. They provide guidance, academic support and a safe space for children to grow while their parents work to keep a roof over their heads. And yet, funding for these programs remains one of the first things on the chopping block.
In 2023, nearly half of Illinois applicants for 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants were turned away due to limited funding. At the federal level, things are even more dire. The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to slash support for after-school programs, including a proposed $292 million cut to 21st Century Community Learning Centers — the only federal funding stream for such initiatives. Such cuts would eliminate access for 600,000 students here in Illinois. But even when the funding is approved, delays and political power plays have left programs scrambling.
This spring, the Trump administration, under the pretense of aligning with “administration priorities,” withheld more than $6 billion in previously appropriated federal education grants, including critical funding for after-school and summer learning programs. These stalling tactics sent shock waves through our school systems, forcing programs to cut staff, reduce hours or shut down entirely.
Let’s be clear: Withholding after-school funding to push political ideology isn’t just irresponsible — it’s dangerous. It puts working families at risk. It coerces school districts into abandoning inclusive programming. And it leaves children, many of whom are already vulnerable, without the safety net they deserve.
The consequences of underfunding these programs are devastating and well-documented: higher youth incarceration rates, increased dropout rates and more young people without the support they need to succeed. Cutting funding for after-school programs doesn’t just affect a few — it reverberates across our entire state.
As chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, I’ve fought to secure $50 million in the state budget for after-school grants. But I also know that funding without timely follow-through is an empty promise. Delays in releasing those funds are already putting these programs at risk — and families can’t afford to wait.
I’ve spoken with parents who are desperate to find care that matches their work schedules. I’ve met youth workers and mentors who’ve had to walk away from kids they’ve known for years, because their programs were defunded. I’ve seen the heartbreak and the uncertainty. And I refuse to accept it as normal.
We owe it to our children — and to every working parent in Illinois — to do better. We must recommit to funding after-school programs. We must reject efforts to politicize education funding. And we must speak out — loudly — when our children’s futures are at risk.
We say it takes a village to raise a child. But that only works if the village is resourced, supported and equipped to care.
Let’s make sure our village has what it needs to raise our children.
State Sen. Lakesia Collins represents the 5th District.