New AFTER SCHOOL Act Authorizes $60 Million for After-School Programs in High Juvenile Crime Areas

The new Advancing Frequent and Tailored Education to Rebuild Safe Communities and Help Orchestrate Opportunities and Learning Act—mercifully shortened to the AFTER SCHOOL Act—is all about targeting resources where juvenile crime is highest. Starting in Fiscal Year 2026, this bill authorizes up to $15 million annually for four years (totaling $60 million) to fund after-school programs for students in grades 6 through 12. The goal is to get kids off the streets and into constructive educational activities when school’s out. The key mechanism here is a new grant program run by the Attorney General that only certain counties can tap into.

The 10% Rule: Where the Money Goes

If you live in a county where the juvenile violent crime rate is below 10%, this program won’t affect your local schools directly. The bill sets a strict geographic barrier: grants are only available to local school districts or experienced 501(c)(3) non-profits located in counties where the “juvenile offense rate” hit at least 10% in the most recent year. That rate is defined specifically as the percentage of all violent crimes committed by individuals aged 19 or younger, according to FBI data. This means the funding is laser-focused on communities struggling the most with youth violence, aiming to use after-school programming as a crime prevention tool. For those eligible, the funding is distributed proportionally based on the number of eligible students (grades 6–12) they commit to serving.

What Programs Need to Look Like

If a school district or non-profit secures a grant, the money must be used to run or expand after-school programs for middle and high schoolers. These programs must operate when school is not in session and must include activities that have a “clear educational purpose.” This could mean anything from tutoring and homework help to STEM workshops or leadership training. The bill allows school districts to partner with non-profits—a smart move that leverages the expertise of community organizations already doing this work. However, the requirement for a “clear educational purpose” is pretty broad, which means the quality and focus of these programs might vary significantly from county to county, depending on how strictly the Attorney General interprets that definition during the application review process.

The Administrative Check-Ins

For busy parents and community members, the good news is that the bill includes robust reporting requirements, which should provide some accountability. Grantees must submit an annual report to the Attorney General detailing how many schools and students were served, along with a summary of successes and challenges. The Attorney General then takes all that data and sends a summary report to Congress. This process ensures that the program isn't just throwing money at the problem; it requires regular check-ins to see if these after-school programs are actually reaching the kids they need to and providing meaningful support. This focus on data collection is crucial for understanding whether the AFTER SCHOOL Act is hitting its target of reducing juvenile violence.