Per AB 1113 and starting in July 2025, the California Department of Education will be collecting data on student enrollment and monitoring how many days each enrolled student participated.

The Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) requires each local education agency that receives ELO-P funding to create a program plan, which needs to be approved by the local education agency’s governing board in a public meeting and posted on the local education agency’s website. Consult this program plan template from the California Department of Education to get started.

Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) funds can be braided with other funding sources, like ASES, Community Schools, and 21st Century. But you must keep your reporting distinct, track how you spend each source, and report it correctly.

With the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program, students aren’t tied to the funding source, meaning, for example, they’re not an ASES student one day and an ELO-P student another. The staff’s pay is tied to the funding, though. For example, one staff person may be paid from ASES while another is paid from ELO-P. This has no impact on students; for their purposes, it’s just one program. Students attending such a program can be counted towards ASES attendance and ELO-P participation.

This isn’t the case, however, for all funding combinations. For example, when combining a 21st Century grant and ASES, you can’t count the same student on the same day for the same program. In other words, they can’t be ASES and 21st Century on the same day.

When combining ASES, 21st Century, and ELO-P funds, a student can be ASES and ELO-P on one day, and 21st Century and ELO-P on another day.

If you’re combining ASES funds with ELO-P, keep in mind that ASES requires an early release policy.

Yes, ELO-P funding can be used to finance an off-site program but note that local education agencies must ensure that all transportation requirements are met.

As Julie Boesch, Ed.D., administrator for Kern County Superintendent of Schools, described in our recent webinar , “How to Level Up Your After-School Programming,” enrichment providers are everywhere. And given Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) funds’ flexibility, administrators can get creative in their provider searches and tap into local organizations.

In addition, ActivityHero consultants are ready to match your district to vendors who can meet your learning and staffing needs. We have a database of over 55,000 enrichment providers, offering everything from robotics to hip-hop dance. This variety is important, since ELO-P-funded programs must offer enrichment opportunities that engage students and that are based on their interests. Book a complementary consultation via the form above, or email us at [email protected].

Founded in 2012, and equipped with a network of 55,000+ enrichment providers, ActivityHero can help to match your district to ideal after-school-program partners and to staff those offerings. In addition, ActivityHero offers an after-school SIS for your record-keeping (attendance, registration, etc.) and communication needs. To learn more, complete the form above or email us at [email protected].

Check out this ELO-P page on the California Department of Education’s site, and read through their detailed FAQ’s here .

As expanded-learning expert Julie Boesch, Ed.D., administrator for Kern County Superintendent of Schools, pointed out in our recent webinar, “How to Level Up Your After-School Programming,” expanded learning is meant to expand students’ opportunities and learning beyond just academics. In this way, expanded learning opens children up to new experiences in diverse interest areas. Extended learning, on the other hand, is simply an extension of what’s done during the school day.

Research confirms the powerful impact of expanded learning. High-quality after-school programs have been shown to increase test scores and aid children’s social development. And as expanded-learning expert Julie Boesch, Ed.D., administrator for Kern County Superintendent of Schools, pointed out in in our recent webinar, “How to Level Up Your After-School Programming,” enrichment programs give children the chance to build relationships and confidence as they excel in areas beyond academics.

Unspent Expanded Learning Opportunities Program money is returned to the state. It goes back into the program and increases the rate for Tier 2 programs.

No. Past Expanded Learning Opportunities Program spending doesn’t impact future funding.

There’s no way to know exactly how much will be allocated for the Tier 2 funding rate until that information is released from school fiscal services. By early July, those precise numbers are available. In the meantime, it’s wise to use past apportionments for projections, and to be conservative in planning.

Most experts in the expanded-learning space believe that the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P) is here to stay and that expanded-learning funding will grow. As Governor Gavin Newsom noted, “We’re also finally fulfilling the vision of before and after school, as well as summer school, for all, investing billions of dollars to make it universal.”

Listen to the answer from expanded-learning expert Julie Boesch, Ed.D., administrator for Kern County Superintendent of Schools, from our recent webinar, “How to Level Up Your After-School Programming,”