District reports major growth in expanded-learning programs as 'Lights On After School' marks national celebration
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Summary
Washington Unified staff reported growth in after‑school programming to roughly 1,300 average daily students and described summer/winter intersession expansion; presenters highlighted state ACES and ELOP grants as primary funding sources and invited community partnership.
Ryan Carroll, coordinator of Expanded Learning Programs, and director Martin Aguirre presented the district’s Lights On After School recap and an overview of expanded‑learning operations. Carroll said the district expanded from five after‑school sites when he started to seven sites; average daily attendance rose to about 1,300 students in September, with overall enrollment near 1,450. He described intersession programs (summer, winter and spring break camps), hands‑on activities (STEM experiments such as extracting DNA from strawberries), and community partnerships with YMCA and city champions. Carroll noted that two California‑specific grants — ACES (Prop. 49 baseline funding) and the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) — are primary state funding sources for after‑school programming in California, while federal 21st Century Community Learning Center funding remains uncertain year to year.
Carroll framed after‑school programming as safety and enrichment infrastructure for working families and highlighted the national Lights On After School campaign as advocacy for sustained funding. Board members and public commenters praised the expansion and asked about continued recruitment, funding stability and how state and federal funding interacts with district grants.
District staff said current programming is state funded and not reliant on recent federal allocations; they will continue to monitor federal budgeting and pursue state grant opportunities.
