Candace Smith: Hundreds of DC kids lost their coaches. More could be next.
This fall, children at nine DC schools lost things that are essential to their development: a coach who knows them, a team that counts on them, and an after-school home. DC SCORES, a nonprofit that provides after-school programming, announced it would not only pause programming at those nine schools but also reduce programming at 20 more because of funding shortfalls. For children and their families, none of this is an abstract budget decision.
For too many DC families, the end of the school day means a scramble: Who will be there for their child between dismissal and the end of the workday? Will that time be safe, enriching and affordable?
According to the Afterschool Alliance’s “America After 3PM 2025” survey, there are about 39,000 DC children whose parents haven’t been able to enroll them in an after-school program even though they want to do so. That’s the highest unmet demand in the nation. For families, after-school care can determine whether a job is workable and whether a child has a safe, supportive place to go at the end of the day.
But such programs are becoming harder to sustain, and the pressure is not only local. According to another report released by the Afterschool Alliance in April, over half of after-school providers surveyed nationally in 2025 said they were worried about having to close their programs.
The Trump administration’s fiscal year 2027 budget request proposes eliminating the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the nation’s only dedicated federal funding stream for before-school, after-school and summer learning programs. That funding supports programs serving nearly 1.4 million young people.
High-quality after-school programs should be treated as essential infrastructure for children and working families, not an optional extra to be cut when budgets tighten.
Early in my teaching career, a colleague said something that has stayed with me for more than 20 years: Every family is doing the best they can for their child with what they have.
As a parent now, I know how true that is. I am fortunate to have a variety of choices for my own child. Many DC parents make those same choices with far fewer resources and far less room for error. They work long hours, juggle bills and manage rising costs while trying to make sure their children have what they need. High-quality after-school programming gives parents the ability to stay at work knowing their children are safe, supported and engaged.
My career has taken me from the classroom to serving as CEO of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF). I have seen young people thrive when they have adults who care about them, a place where they can be themselves, and a community that expects great things from them.
My colleagues and I see the impact of after-school programming firsthand every day. Like many after-school programs, WTEF aims to do more than teach tennis or help with homework. Our goal is to give young people the confidence, support and sense of belonging they need to excel on the court, in the classroom and in life.
The evidence is clear: High-quality after-school programs work. A meta-analysis by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning — which reviewed 75 studies of 68 programs — found that participants in evidence-based programs improved their test scores by an average of 12 percentile points and developed stronger positive social behaviors.
Our children need organizations like WTEF and DC SCORES — which is why we should all be treating the recent announcement by DC SCORES like the wake-up call it is. Government budgets all around are tight, and every dollar has to count. But after-school programming is where dollars count twice: They allow parents to keep working while their children gain lifelong skills and mentorship.
Nationally, Congress must protect 21st Century Community Learning Centers in the federal budget. Locally, the mayor and DC Council must build on the strong leadership shown by the DC Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes by committing to predictable, multiyear funding for high-quality, tuition-free after-school programs, starting with the neighborhoods where access is most limited. And the city’s philanthropic and business communities should rise up to help programs keep great staff, provide transportation and meals, and serve more students by making flexible, multi-year investments. Members of the public can also help by making donations and communicating with elected officials.
Every family is doing the best they can for their child with what they have. It’s time for the rest of us to do our part to ensure more children have the chance to thrive after the school day ends.
Candace Smith is CEO of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation and a former early childhood teacher and teacher-preparation leader. She lives in Ward 4.
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