Factsheet | January 9, 2019

Expanded Learning Opportunities in Washington State

A $2 million investment in high-quality after-school programs will help prevent juvenile crime and prepare students for the workforce and the military

Washington policymakers can reduce crime, build the future workforce, and strengthen our military readiness by increasing access to high-quality Expanding Learning Opportunities (ELOs). An investment of $2 million in ELOs in the 2019-21 biennium would increase access by reaching 5,250 youth in 70 programs per year statewide.

The afterschool hours are a prime time for juvenile crime. Expanded Learning Opportunities deter youth from crime when they are high-quality.

Meanwhile, seven out of 10 working parents in Washington say that afterschool programs help them keep their jobs. ELOs support parents in the workforce while preparing the future workforce for post-secondary education—-something that will be necessary for 70 percent of jobs in Washington by 2020.

High-quality ELOs improve academic performance and deter youth from crime, two of the leading reasons why 70 percent of young adults in Washington are ineligible for military service.

States

  1. Washington*