Good morning Councilmember Janeese Lewis George and staff of the Committee on Facilities. Thank you for the opportunity to address the committee today by providing testimony regarding the Department of Parks and Recreation and out-of-school time programs. My name is Jorge Membreño (he/him), and I am the Director of Youth Advocacy at DC Action and I’m also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works primarily with children and youth. As you know, DC Action convenes the Out-of-School (OST) Time Coalition and today I’ll be speaking on behalf of our community based organizations. Before I dig in, I will add that I am also a Ward 4 resident (go ward 4!) and father to a toddler.
First, I want to say thank you to DPR for taking up the mission to increase OST programming for all youth in DC. Now, more than ever, we need more partners who want to create more opportunities for youth to learn and have fun. I’m also grateful to DPR for emphasizing the Rec for All Core Values of equity, inclusion, empowerment, community, sustainability, and innovation. Those words are being weaponized across the country but they are and should continue to be what we strive for in DC.
Second, I want to offer a few recommendations to strengthen the overall partnership between DPR, Learn24, and community based organizations who provide out of school time programming.
DPR has operated “Recreation for All” grants for the past three years (FY23, FY24, FY25) however, there has been very little transparency around DPR’s grant making process, including how, or whether, DPR standards and requirements for “high-quality” OST programming adhere to the guidelines set out by the District’s OST Office. Similarly, DPR’s grant does not appear to place any emphasis on investing in organizations that work with underserved populations, unlike grants from the OST office which name priority populations. I want to emphasize that many of these priority populations and the services offered to them are under attack in the White House. For the benefit of all District young people and their families, DPR can bolster their partnership in eliminating disparities in access to high-quality OST programs.
There has also been a lack of clarity on grant awards, feedback, and reliable funding. As of February 11, 2025, it does not appear that DPR has published the list of FY24 Recreation for All grantees. Providers have also let us know that they did not get feedback on their applications, even when requested, which makes it difficult to be competitive the following grant year. The Rec for All RFA includes an “Application Review and Scoring” section where a review panel provides a score based on specific scoring criteria. Feedback is a gift and allows our providers to adapt and grow so they can provide more OST seats.
Similarly there does not seem to be public data on the number of young people served by the FY23 grant cycle. This makes it hard to understand continuity vs volatility in OST funding streams and program seats, especially since funding is for a one year grant. It’s considerably easier to plan for programming when you have a multi-year grant and can staff up appropriately. This also provides consistency to youth and families who, as you well know, greatly benefit from OST programs. More timely public information is needed from DPR to track whether the District is making progress toward meeting the goal of universal OST access set forth by the OST Commission Strategic Plan and the Universal OST Amendment Act, which we thank you for co-sponsoring.
I’m happy to answer any questions and thank you for your time.
