Dr. Stan W. Heffner, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Ohio Department of Education
25 South Front Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-4183
Dr. Richard Ross, Director
Governor's Office of 21st Century Education
77 South High Street, 30th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Dear Dr. Heffner and Dr. Ross:
It is my understanding that Ohio has applied for an ESEA waiver to enable 21st Century Community Learning Center funding to also be used by local education agencies for remedial math and English Language Arts services provided during the school day. My concern is that more of these funds will be used for remedial activities during school hours and will hurt student access to after-school and summer programs as less funding is available for these activities.
Over the summer I had the opportunity to visit a successful after-school program in my area and was impressed at the experience being provided to students. This particular program was run by Horizon Activities Centers. That organization's executive director, David H. Smith, recently contacted me to bring to my attention the waiver and his fear that if it is approved students may no longer benefit from this type of after-school activity because funds will be diverted to remedial services that occur during the regular school day.
As a person who has spent most of my career in the classroom working with students, I know how important it is for students to also have quality learning experiences outside of the traditional school day. After-school learning experiences provide enrichment, exercise and a safe environment for children to learn and grow. While I believe it is critical that we ensure that all students who need remediation receive that help, I think it is also extremely important that students continue to have access to after-school and summer learning opportunities.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my perspective and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you further.
Sincerely,
Gayle Manning
State Senator, 13th District
