Programs serving thousands of students at risk of dropping out of school could be in jeopardy as federal coronavirus emergency funding expires at the end of June, officials said. Stated.
The Learning to Work program receives about three-quarters of its budget, or $32 million of its $40 million, from federal pandemic stimulus funds.
As New York City grapples with a costly immigration crisis, Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council must fill a gaping hole in the next budget as federal dollars run out on June 30th.
The Learning to Work program serves 16,000 students enrolled in 66 second-chance or transfer schools and 19 young adult borough centers served by 20 community-based nonprofit organizations. Many students are behind on academic credits or have criminal records and are trying to get back on track for graduation or learn skills for employment.
Michael De Vito, the organization’s executive director, said teens with the highest needs are being left out in the cold. new york Interpersonal Skills Development Center. The program operates his three young adult centers on Staten Island at Tottenville High School, McKee High School and Concord High School. Internship programs are offered at all three of his locations.
“This program needs urgent attention. But we have heard nothing from the Department of Education about our funding other than ‘we don’t know,'” De Vito said.
De Vito said the fiscal crisis caused by the immigration crisis has not solved the problem.
“We are being told that the city needs to focus on other priorities and that the city needs additional resources for immigration,” he said. “It’s getting political. We don’t want to be political. We want young people to be taken care of.”
New York City public schools have received more than $7 billion in federal stimulus funding, including the “Learning to Work” program launched under former Mayor Bill de Blasio.
“At the time, it made sense to use federal money to fund the program because of the huge loss of tax revenue due to the pandemic. That saved us,” De Vito said.
But he expressed surprise at the lack of a plan or direction from City Hall or the City Council on an action plan to address the loss of federal funding due to the pandemic.
“It shouldn’t have taken this long to figure it out,” De Vito said.
Another source familiar with budget discussions said the city has no plans for how to fund the program, at least not yet.
De Vito called the initiative a “lifesaving program” in a Feb. 9 letter to state Sen. Jessica Scarcella Spanton.
He said at-risk students benefit from smaller learning environments, intensive attendance instruction, youth and family counseling, work-based learning, post-graduation planning, and job training and internships. said. He noted that some students are homeless.
“We support kids by keeping them out of jail, couch surfing, sitting with them in the emergency room, making sure they have food and clothes on their backs,” he said. Told.
He found that students who participate in internships in LTW programs are nine times more likely to graduate than students in the same environment, and are more likely to earn a diploma at a YABC/transfer school than at a traditional public school. I cited data that says it’s much higher.
Officials with the city’s Department of Education said Sunday that funding for the program is still up in the air.
“Creating and deepening career path opportunities for our youth is of paramount importance to New York City public schools. While no final decisions have been made, we are working to plan for next year and beyond.” “We are working with learning providers and recognize the importance of this impactful program to our city’s youth,” said Cyann Tull, DOE spokesperson.
“As with all programs funded by expiring federal stimulus dollars, we continue to advocate for state and local partners to identify new funding to sustain these programs beyond this year. Masu.”
