Chicago touts after-school program growth but cuts funding – Chalkbeat Chicago

After pouring federal COVID relief dollars into a once barebones budget for such programs, Chicago Public Schools is now cutting funding for academic, arts, sports and mentoring before- and after-school programs. This summer, the district touted a 2024-25 budget that “doubles down” on a COVID-era spending boost for extracurricular programs, which officials said has sped up students’ recovery. But in fact, funding for these programs is down by roughly a third.