BellXcel CEO Joins Voices of Support for President Biden’s FY22 Budget Proposal

Lauren Sanchez Gilbert

President Biden’s FY22 budget request proposes strong and necessary investments in youth development. Summer and afterschool providers nationwide would have the critical opportunity to provide the level of programming required to address the losses our youth have experienced over the past year.

BellXcel’s decades of experience in evidence-based, high quality youth programming propels me to spotlight the urgency of whole-child investments in communities across the country.  Our youth need high-quality summer and afterschool experiences to thrive academically and emotionally and to grow beyond the school day.

Investing in programming based in evidence and adaptable to meet the unique needs of each community is critical. A one-size fits most approach will only further exacerbate and expose the inherent inequity so prevalent in our education system. True possibility of economic mobility begins early in life when all children have access to a strong pipeline of high-quality activities throughout their youth.

Our evidence proves that providing local educators and youth leaders with the tools, resources, professional learning, and support they need to build impactful learning experiences leads to real improved outcomes. We have witnessed first-hand, many times over, that the greatest impact can be made by serving each child, through the adults that they know, with strategies that work. 

These are remarkable times to be a leader in youth development and education and I thank President Biden for this historic proposal. 

Highlights of some of President Biden’s FY22 budget request include:

  • $20B for new Title 1 Equity Grants to support unserved communities
  • $1.3B for 21st Century Community Learning Centers to boost out of school time programming, including teacher professional development
  • $443M for Full-Service Community Schools for comprehensive services to youth and their families, from afterschool to health/nutrition services
  • $1B for new School-Based Health Professionals to double the number of counselors, nurses and mental health professionals in schools
  • $16B for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to support special education and related services Pre-K through 12

 

Our BellXcel team is committed to partnering with youth organizations and schools to maximize the quality of their programming for youth, educators, and families in communities nationwide. President Biden’s historic budget proposal gives us all a momentous leg up to ensure all children can excel! 

 

Lauren Sanchez Gilbert, Ed.D.
Chief Executive Officer
BellXcel