30-06-2025
Wisconsin community learning centers could lose federal funding. What are they? Why does it matter?
Under a fiscal year 2026 budget proposal from President Donald Trump, community learning centers across the nation would lose their only source of dedicated federal funding next year.
Here's what this could mean for youth and what we know right now.
CLCs have been funded through the federal Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center grant since 2002 and provide academic activities that enrich students' skills during nonschool hours and periods when school is out of session.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, these centers are targeted to students' needs and reinforce in-school academic programs. 21st CCLC programs also include opportunities for parents of participating students to develop their education and skills.
In 2024-25 alone, nearly 20,000 students at 168 sites across Wisconsin have taken part in CLC programming. In 2023-2024, more than 75% of participating students in these programs were identified as economically disadvantaged.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's 2026 budget summary, community learning centers would receive no federal funding the next fiscal year under the Trump proposal
The budget summary states that President Donald Trump plans to "reach balance and restore confidence in America's fiscal management by eliminating spending that does not support meaningful learning." The goal, it says, is to make education "better, fairer and more accountable."
Trump's proposed cut puts the responsibility on states and local communities, rather than the federal government, to support CLCs through "competitive subgrants to school districts or community-based organizations," according to the summary.
Wisconsin currently receives more than $17 million in DPI-administered grant funding to support both public and private school students across the state.
In 2023-24, 21st CCLCs operated, on average, 20 hours per week and over 156 days, which provided students with the equivalent of 65 additional school days of learning time.
A 2022-23 Wisconsin CCLC report found that 62% of students in CLC programs improved attendance, 63% showed increased classroom engagement and 50% of middle and high school participants with a GPA below 3.0 raised their grade-point average.
According to the Wisconsin DPI's interactive site, 62% of students who previously attended school 90% of the time or less showed "measurable improvement" in attendance after participating in CLC programming.
The 2022-23 CCLC report also states that "more than half of student participants met measures associated with attendance, reduced suspensions and learning engagement."
Milwaukee is home to 57 community learning centers, some of which are operated by Milwaukee Recreation, a department of Milwaukee Public Schools.
Milwaukee Recreation offers various sites and safe houses for youth across the city and works alongside other local agencies like the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee and Neighborhood House.
Complete lists of local CLCs and safe places in operation during the 2024-25 school year and summer 2025 can be found on the Milwaukee Recreation website.
Contact Mia Thurow at mthurow@
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Trump budget would cut federal funding for community learning centers
