The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois announced Monday the Illinois State Board of Education declined to renew a grant made available through the federal government.
As a result, several after school programs in Springfield District 186 will be cut, but Jacksonville’s programs will remain untouched.
Programming at 8 elementary schools in Springfield will close. Tiffany Mathis Posey, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois CEO and Executive Director says that with funding from donations, the Springfield programs will be able to remain open through January. Mathis Posey says that Jacksonville School District 117’s programs were not a part of the 21st Century Grant cohort that the Springfield Schools were a part of and will remain ongoing with no problems, according to email communication with WLDS.
Mathis Posey told the State Journal Register that the organization’s goal is to keep the Springfield programs going until the end of the school year through donors. The organization said it has a donor that will match funds raised up to $180,000.
The Illinois State Board of Education has not returned comment on why the grant was declined. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois plans to appeal the decision. Mathis Posey has also written to Gov. J.B. Pritzker to inform him of the situation.
The specific grant has afforded the programming at the eight Springfield schools over the last decade. The absence of programs would leave roughly 700 students and their families without the free of charge, after school childcare. The change would also slash 70 staff positions including eight that are full time.
Of the agencies that were awarded the 21st Century Grants by ISBE, none are in the Central Illinois region, and none were awarded to long standing, ongoing programs.
Donations can be made at https://bgccil.org/donate-2/.