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to Minnesota Dept. of Education in March 2021, 60 days to disburse funds

Afterschool is Accelerating Minnesota Students’ Learning & Recovery

The Need Is Essential�More than a year into pandemic-fueled shutdowns and schedule disruptions, many young people are struggling, especially youth of color and especially those living in low-income communities. Young people need to feel safe and supported to engage in learning, rebuild relationships, and emerge from this crisis strong, resilient and hopeful.��Afterschool can help.

Meeting Minnesota’s Demand for Afterschool

The Opportunity Is Now�The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides Minnesota $1.3 billion to remedy student learning loss and provide additional supports young people need to thrive, both in and out of the classroom.

Ignite Afterschool Is Ready to Partner

Ignite Afterschool is a strong network of 500+ afterschool and summer programs across the state. We have the relationships and expertise necessary to:

Partner in the dispersal of afterschool and summer enrichment funds
Support schools in building robust community partnerships that expand young people’s learning
Provide training and continuous program improvement support for afterschool and summer programs

And, as part of the 50-state afterschool network, our work is guided by effective practices and informed by the most up-to-date research from across the field.

of Minnesota parents �are satisfied with their child’s afterschool program

325,000+

For every 1 child in afterschool, 3 more are waiting to enroll. That’s

93%

During the pandemic, programs stepped up to:

Care for kids of working parents, first responders and essential staff

Help students and families with remote learning

Stay connected with kids and teens to provide social and emotional support

Distribute meals and groceries

For more on Minnesota programs stepping up in the pandemic, check out #YesToSuccess on our blog.�www.igniteafterschool.org/blog

American Rescue Plan in Minnesota

$1.3B

$1.2B

to school districts�must commit funds by September 2023

$237M �for learning loss

$132M

stays with MDE

$66M �for learning loss

$13.2M�for afterschool

$13.2M �for summer activities

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We Understand the Needs of Minnesota’s Young People�In March 2021, Ignite Afterschool conducted a survey of our

network to better understand the greatest needs facing

Minnesota’s young people and their families, as well as

priorities for ARP and other Covid-Relief Funds.

The greatest needs of Minnesota’s young people include:

Mental health and wellness, including healing from multiple forms of trauma
Culturally relevant programming that addresses racial inequity
Opportunities for belonging and connection through building healthy relationships with caring adults and peers
Access to a broad range of learning experiences, including academic support and enrichment such as STEM, arts and recreation

Afterschool Works—In & Out of School

Decades of research proves that young people who regularly participate in high-quality, culturally relevant programming experience benefits both in and out of school.

1400 Van Buren St NE, Ste 203�Minneapolis, MN 55413

kari@igniteafterschool.org�612-460-1246

IgniteAfterschool.org � IgniteAfterschool � @IgniteMN

Let’s Do This

Together, we can make meaningful progress to address the race, income and geography-based gaps that persist in Minnesota. ��Together we can:

Prioritize support for culturally/ethnically-specific programs that support young people in forming strong and healthy cultural identity�
Support schools to build strong community-school collaborations that leverage the expertise of all partners�
Expand learning opportunities available to youth and engage young people’s leadership�
Ensure young people have strong, positive relationships with caring adults

Pillsbury United Communities��A pandemic didn’t slow down Pillsbury United Communities (PUC) in Minneapolis—in fact, they expanded paid internship experiences for young people by perfecting the virtual internship! ��Through their Ladders to Leadership program, PUC engages high school students in paid internships in fields like coding and food systems. When others cut internships, they more than doubled the number of interns from 69 to 161! Plus, a new tutoring program supported more than 50 young people with college tutors. ��PUC is a shining example of how community partners support school success and college and career pathways!

Gain self-control, confidence, and social skills

Improve school attendance, work habits and grades

Make gains in reading and math

Have higher graduation rates

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