Kiddo

05/10/2022

During the '21-'22 academic year, we have seen firsthand, the detrimental impact the Great Resignation has had on before- and after-school programs. Nearly all of the activity providers in the Kiddo network cited staffing shortages, with some having to walk away from fully enrolled programs. However, we have seen signs that the staffing challenges have turned a corner. https://buff.ly/3HBGjHC

Programs for students after the school day ends are shutting down or consolidating as the widespread K-12 staff shortage crisis continues.

05/04/2022

This Spring, MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett, contributed more than $500 million towards after-school, summer learning, and positive youth development organizations, serving under-served communities. Private support is critical to closing the Out of School Time activities opportunity gap impacting over 24MM+ kids nationwide. https://buff.ly/3kyb3A9

As part of a larger series of gifts to nonprofit organizations, this spring, philanthropists MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett announced the contribution of a combined investment of more than $500

01/20/2022

It's refreshing to see states such as Vermont commit to making universal after-school a reality. The legislature and the governor’s offices will be working together over the next two years for full implementation in 2024. Proposals are also being considered in New York City and Richmond, Virginia. What will it take?!
1) State/city-wide commitment
2) Sustainable funding
3) Deep collaboration across all stakeholders
4) Central coordination
5) Systems to measure program quality and collect and analyze data
6) Effective outreach
https://buff.ly/33Q8gx0

By Holly Morehouse, Executive Director, Vermont Afterschool. Across the country, afterschool programs have been chronically underfunded for decades, and the unmet demand among families has

11/19/2021

Congrats to the companies selected to participate in the inaugural Techstars/Upsurge Baltimore Equitech accelerator. We are honored to have been selected as a finalist and look forward to staying connected with the Techstars and Upsurge Baltimore communities. https://buff.ly/3DABTPZ

10/08/2021

We would like to take a moment to express our gratitude to our advisors and mentors: Chris Clouet, Ani Matson, Cindy Rivarde, Kimberly Rusnak, Sally Sternbach, and the Maryland Tech Council. Thank you for your continued guidance and support!

09/30/2021

A key priority of Kiddo is helping to close the education equity gap. Our ability to make a meaningful impact extends from building scalable technology to supporting our local, state, and national parent organizations (National Parent Teacher Association) and non-profits such as the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence, Afterschool Alliance, EdTrust, and The Wallace Foundation, around their advocacy efforts with our school systems and government. There are several key questions that all families should ask their school district regarding the American Rescue Plan funds ($100B+ in total) received by the school system.
https://buff.ly/3zQjBrm

Many students are returning to school after long-term school building closures. As a result, many advocates and families are concerned about children’s physical health as well as their social, emotional, and academic well-being. These concerns are real, and it is important that districts create sp...

09/23/2021

We're gearing up for the 22nd by getting the word out! Now more than ever, afterschool programs are rising to the moment to keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Lights On Afterschool shines a national spotlight on their impact! Join us for a Lights On celebration like none other! https://buff.ly/3gJlkbm

09/15/2021

School/Community Partner Spotlight - Wayside Elementary School PTA

We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Wayside Elementary School PTA around their fall after-school activity planning. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Wayside and our other early adopter partners.
https://buff.ly/3hAJrtg

09/09/2021

Provider Spotlight - Montgomery Sports Association (MSA)

MSA has been providing Out of School Time athletic programs for over 20 years to over 40+ schools across Montgomery County, Maryland. We are proud to be a trusted partner of MSA and look forward to continuing to build our partnership with Sharon and the team. https://www.montgomerysports.org

09/02/2021

We're excited about the traction we are building with our Out of School Time (OST) Activity Planning Tools through a number of school/community partnerships we have established in the DC metro area. Thank you to our growing network of providers, families, and school/community partners for supporting our vision!

08/26/2021

It's encouraging that after-school STEM learning is on the rise, but the opportunity gap is still massive. The biggest barriers continue to be cost, transportation, and availability. 87% of parents are looking for public funding to expand opportunities and ARPA offers a generational level of funding that could meaningfully close that gap. Public-private partnerships create the best pathway to build innovative/holistic/evidence-based programs that help all children advance.

The Afterschool Alliance's 4th edition of America After 3PM provides a detailed account of children in the afterschool hours, identifying: trends of participation in, and unmet demand for, afterschool programs; the experiences and opportunities programs afford; and which children and families are mi...

08/19/2021

A majority of state plans submitted proposed grant funding for comprehensive after-school programs that are focused around partnerships between community-focused organizations, nonprofits, and schools. Out-of-school-time programs built through dynamic partnerships yield strong outcomes. It takes a village!

Two months after state education agencies were asked to submit their proposed state plans for the use of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Funds