State Profile | Wisconsin

The Afterschool Investments project has developed profiles for each state to provide a snapshot of the "state of afterschool," as well as an opportunity to compare afterschool activities across the country. This profile provides key data and descriptions of the afterschool landscape, which includes a range of out-of-school time programming that can occur before and after school, on weekends, and during summer months. It is designed to serve as a resource for policymakers, administrators, and providers.

• Quick Facts
• Statewide Initiatives
• Notable Local Initiatives
• Statewide Organizations
• Additional Resources
• Notes and Sources

Quick Facts

Demographics

For more demographic information, visit http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/statepro/index.html

Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

CCDF Administrative Overview

Settings

Where CCDF-Subsidy school age-children are served:

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool

"Resource and referral and school-age" targeted funds:
Funds may support CCR&R agencies throughout Wisconsin which recruit school-age child care providers, provide training and technical assistance to them, and connect them to school-age materials and resources.  Funds may also be used to support T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhoo® Wisconsin scholarships for school-age care providers who are interested in credit-based education in their specific educational field. In addition funding may go towards R.E.W.A.R.D.™ Wisconsin stipends, which are available to school-age care providers who meet the set eligibility criteria as established. 

Other quality activities:
Funds may be used for comprehensive consumer education and to monitor licensing and regulatory requirements. They can also be used for professional development, improving childcare providers’ salaries, activities promoting inclusive childcare, activities which increase parental choice and youth focused health programs. Other programs focused on improving the quality of childcare may also be funded.

Provider Reimbursement Rates

Tiered Reimbursement Rate System:
Wisconsin reimburses accredited programs up to 10% higher than the reimbursement rate, if their rates are higher than the published rate.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

Program Licensing Policies

Systems/Quality Supports

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)

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Statewide Initiatives

• Wisconsin Afterschool Network (WAN). The Marshfield Clinic and the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources, (a unit of University Health Services), University of Wisconsin-Madison have received a grant from the Charles S. Mott Foundation to provide leadership to the Wisconsin Afterschool Network (WAN). The vision of WAN is that all Wisconsin school-age children and youth have the opportunity to attend a high quality afterschool program. These lead agencies are committed to fostering policies, developing funding and providing technical assistance to afterschool program providers. Additionally, innovative strategies to integrate health care services into afterschool programs will be explored.

  For more information see: http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/wan.html

• Wisconsin AfterSchool Association. An affiliate of the National AfterSchool Association (NAA) The Wisconsin AfterSchool Association (WAA) is the professional membership association for all providers of out- of-school-time serving the diverse needs of Wisconsin’s children, youth and families. The Wisconsin AfterSchool Association promotes quality initiatives through the National Standards for after school care and the NAA Accreditation system. The Association hosts an annual state conference, administers the school-age credential, publishes a quarterly newsletter and supports public policy and advocacy on the state and national levels.

  The Wisconsin AfterSchool Association is an active partner in the Wisconsin Afterschool Network playing an integral role on the State Leadership Team and on the Network’s Public Policy and Program Quality and Training Committees.

• The Wisconsin Child Care Improvement Project under the umbrella of Supporting Families Together Association is operated statewide as a non-profit organization that provides technical assistance to child care providers in Wisconsin. Child Care programs and communities are supported through training resources, tip sheets and technical assistance to start and expand school-age care programs. School-age care providers are eligible for scholarships and stipends to further their education. (These programs use the T.E.A.C.H.® [Teacher Education and Compensation Helps] scholarships and the R.E.W.A.R.D™ [Rewarding Education with Wages and Respect for Dedication] Stipend model).
• Wisconsin Community Education Association (WCEA). In 1979, the University of Wisconsin Extension Services and the Wisconsin Technical College System signed a “memorandum of understanding” with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction to promote the use of schools as community learning centers. Though not backed with legislation or formal funding, this agreement led to great expansion of collaborative learning activities for school-age children and youth using public schools and community-based centers in the state. Currently, over 65 community education programs and over 200 afterschool programs work closely with the Wisconsin Technical College System and the University of Wisconsin Extension Services.

  For more information, see http://www.wi-communityed.org.

• Community Youth Grants. The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development provides grants to Boys and Girls Club sites throughout the state. The objectives of the program are to provide extra learning opportunities, with a particular focus on gang prevention. It is open to low-income, TANF eligible youth 5-18 years old. In SFY 05-07, this effort is supported with $300,000 from TANF funds.

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Notable Local Initiatives

• Voyagers Community Learning Center Afterschool Partnership. In the fall of 2005, Voyagers Community Learning Center (part of the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District), Boys Scouts of America: Chippewa Valley Council, Girl Scouts of American Indian Waters Council and Chippewa County 4-H Youth Development Program created a partnership to provide after school activities to middle school youth. The partnership offers the ability to provide more options for youth and parents, to share resources and decrease duplication of services with a coordinated effort to provide after school activities. Middle school students who enroll in approved Voyagers courses are eligible to earn credit towards badges and fair projects during the after school time. The Voyagers AmeriCorps Member coordinates staff and volunteers and provides support to make this partnership work.
• UWM Children’s Center After-School Enrichment Program. The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Children’s Center, a licensed child care program accredited by NAEYC, has established a successful collaborative with the neighboring Milwaukee Public School’s elementary school, Hartford University School. Families have an excellent child care option, which incorporates an Academic Enrichment Program and child care for their child (ages 4-13) after school. The program starts with Homework Power Hour at Hartford University School from 2:15-3:30 p.m. and includes a healthy snack. Students have the use of the school library and computer lab. A licensed teacher and UWM student staff assist students in getting started with their homework and provide individual and small group help. Educational games, books, and computer programs are available for those students who finish their homework early.

  The program continues with activities and Academic Enrichment Classes at the UWM Children’s Center, which is located a block away from the elementary school. Activities include (but are not limited to) art, sports, board games, and woodworking.

  The program depends on parent user fees. The Children’s Center receives US Department of Education CCAMPIS funds, which provides a substantial discount to all income-eligible UWM student parents. Families who are eligible may receive tuition assistance through W-2 and the Wisconsin Shares Program.

• 21st Century Community Learning Centers at Gresham. Gresham school is a K-12 building serving approximately 330 students.  It is extremely rural and disconnected from many programs and services traditionally available in larger communities and school districts.  A true sense of “community” is necessary for this community leaning center to thrive.  Approximately 20 students report each morning before school for homework help.  Over 50 students remain each evening after school is dismissed for additional homework help and academic enrichment activities.  Among these offerings are “Bean Sprouts” learning club for elementary students, tutoring help with well-trained and highly motivated high school age peer tutors, and exploratories such as German heritage day and “lego” wars.  In addition to a nutritious snack and recreational activities, Gresham school offers monthly family sessions where literacy and other learning opportunities can be explored.  The CLC is open for a minimum of 13 hours, and a maximum of 19 hours per week during the school year.  Strategies used in the academic enrichment services include Reading Recovery, 6+1 traits Writing, Literature Circles, AIMS Math and Science strategies, FOSS Science System, Everyday Math, and Math Thematics.  The Stockbridge Munsee Tribe, Shawano County Extension, and Junior Achievement Clubs are all partners with the Gresham School’s CLC.
• Lincoln County After the Bell 4-H Afterschool. In 2005, almost 2,000 youth were enrolled in 4-H Afterschool programs in 27 Wisconsin counties. Each program is unique and designed to fit local needs and resources. For example in Merrill, WI, middle school youth were either hanging out at the public library or at a skate park. Lincoln County UW-Extension worked with 12 community organizations to address this need by starting a 4-H after school program in 2004 with 68 Merrill middle school students – an average of 12 a day. In the 2005-06 school year, participation increased to 110 youth with an average of 20 students per day.  Organizers added a tutoring program with high school students and adult volunteers tutoring 31 of the after-school participants. Organizers have raised more than $26,000 in grants as well as donations of activity supplies, snacks and a refrigerator. 4-H Ambassadors, a county youth leader group, have offered monthly programs at each of the after school sites.

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Statewide Organizations

National AfterSchool Association Affiliate:

Wisconsin AfterSchool Association
PO Box 1554
Madison, WI 53701-1154
Phone: 414-229-5384

Statewide Child Care Resource & Referral Network:

Supporting Families Together Association (umbrella organization for Child Care Resource and Referral and the Wisconsin Child Care Improvement Project):
Supporting Families Together Association
2109 S. Stoughton Road
Madison, WI 53716
Phone: 608-224-5341
Fax: 608-224-6178
Web: http://www.supportingfamiliestogether.org/

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Additional Resources

State Child Care Administrators:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/dirs/display.cfm?title=ccdf

State TANF Contacts:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/states/tanf-dr.htm

21st Century Community Learning Centers Contacts:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/contacts.html

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Notes and Sources

Demographics

Total population, 2008: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008, U.S. Census Bureau.

Number of children ages 5-12, 2008: Estimates of the Resident Population by Single-Year of Age and Sex for the United States and States: July 1, 2007, U.S. Census Bureau.

Percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch rate, 2006: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Note: Most recent data.

Percent of K-12 students in Title I "schoolwide" schools, 2006: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from poor families are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school. Note: Most recent data.

Child Care and Development Fund

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the largest federal funding source for child care. States receive a funding allocation determined by formula and have broad flexibility to design programs that provide child care subsidies for low-income children under the age of 13 and to enhance the quality of child care for all children. Federal CCDF funding consists of mandatory, matching, and discretionary funds. Federal law requires that states spend at least 4 percent of their CCDF funds as well as additional targeted funds on activities to improve the quality and availability of child care. CCDF administrative data in this and the following sections is from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau, as reported by States, unless otherwise noted.

FFY09 CCDF Allocation: Funding allocations are based on appropriation and do not reflect any reallotted or redistributed funds that may occur at a later date.

FFY09 state MOE plus match: In order to receive Federal matching funds, a state must expend Maintenance of Effort funds. Note that this does not capture actual expenditures, only the minimum required to draw down all available federal funds.

FFY09 Tribal CCDF Allocation: Federal CCDF Funds are awarded directly to Federally-recognized Indian Tribes.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funding: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) appropriates an additional $2 billion in one-time CCDF Discretionary funding available to State, Territory and Tribal Lead Agencies in FY09 as part of the economic stimulus package.

FFY07 total quality expenditures: This data includes FY07 and prior year funds expended for quality from each of the CCDF funding streams (mandatory, matching, and discretionary) and expenditures under targeted funds for infant and toddler, school-age care and resource and referral. This figure provides information obtained from state financial reports submitted for FY07.

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool: Portions of CCDF discretionary funds are targeted specifically for resource and referral and school-age child care activities as well as for quality expansion. (These funds are in addition to the required 4 percent minimum quality expenditure.)

Maximum rate for school-age category: Rates are listed for center-based care, family child care, and license exempt programs; where rates vary by region or county, the rate for the most populated urban area is given.

Standardized monthly school-age rate: Monthly rate for a child, age 8, in care after school during the school year at a center in the most costly district for four hours per day, 20 days per month. Calculated (in the lowest tier of a tiered system) using information from the FY2008-2009 State CCDF Plan, including rate structures, as submitted to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

Separate subsidy rates for different age ranges and Tiered Reimbursement Rate Systems: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Child Care Bureau. Report of State Plans FY2008-2009.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

In addition to spending TANF funds directly on child care, a state may transfer up to 30 percent of its TANF grant to CCDF. Expenditures represent TANF funds spent in FY07 that were awarded in FY07 and prior years. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, available at: In addition to spending TANF funds directly on child care, a state may transfer up to 30 percent of its TANF grant to CCDF. Expenditures represent TANF funds spent in FY07 that were awarded in FY07 and prior years. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/data/2007/tanf_2007.html.

Program Licensing and Accreditation Policies

States with separate school-age licensing standards and states with specialized requirements for child care centers serving school-age children: National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC) and National Association for Regulatory Administration, 2007 Child Care Licensing Study, see: http://www.naralicensing.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=160.

Ratio of children to adults in school-age setting: Data from the National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), available at: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov.

School-based, school-age programs exempt from licensing: Research conducted by Afterschool Investments, March 2008.

Systems/Quality Supports

School-age credential: NCCIC, State Professional Development System Credentials for Individuals, see: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/pd-credentials.html.

Statewide quality rating system: NCCIC, Quality Rating Systems: Definitions and Statewide Systems, see: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/qrs-defsystems.html.

Statewide afterschool network: National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks, see: http://www.statewideafterschoolnetworks.net/.

21st Century Community Learning Centers

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program is a state formula grant. Funds flow to states based on their share of Title I, Part A funds. Data from the U.S. Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers Office and the 21st CCLC Profile and Performance Information Collection System as of July 2009.

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The Child Care Bureau awarded a technical assistance contract to The Finance Project for the Afterschool Investments project. The goals of the Afterschool Investments project include:

• Identifying ways that state and communities are using Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy and quality dollars to support out-of-school time programs, and sharing these practices and approaches with other states;
• Identifying administrative and implementation issues related to CCDF investments in out-of-school time programs, and providing information and context (about barriers, problems, opportunities) as well as practical tools that will help CCDF administrators make decisions; and
• Identifying other major programs and sectors that are potential partners for CCDF in supporting out-of-school time programs and providing models, strategies, and tools for coordination with other programs and sectors.

Contact Us:

Email:
afterschool@financeproject.org

Web:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/

The Finance Project
1401 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-587-1000
Web: www.financeproject.org

The Afterschool Investments project’s State Profiles are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of noteworthy State and local initiatives across the country. Inclusion of an initiative in the Profiles does not represent an endorsement of a particular policy or practice.