Thousands of children in Northeast Pennsylvania may lose their valuable after-school services in June due to a recent decision by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Hundreds of students in Carbon, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties will lose out because their funding was redirected to other programs located in urban areas like Philadelphia. Other local counties will suffer as well.

SHINE (Schools and Homes in Education) and Schuylkill ACHIEVE after-school parents and teachers have appealed to me for help because for the first time ever, they were denied funding. They may have to close many of the local centers they’ve been operating for decades.

SHINE and Schuylkill ACHIEVE both introduce students in grades K-8 to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) concepts. Monday through Thursday, a typical day for a student includes approximately 25 minutes of homework assistance and 1.5-2 hours of work on a STEAM-based project. Both programs have proven records of helping students improve their attendance and academic performance.

There is no possible reason for the Pa. Department of Education to shut these programs down. SHINE and Schuylkill ACHIEVE are exactly the sort of successful efforts we should be encouraging and expanding, not killing.

By closing these centers, the Pa. Department of Education will not just harm students. They will also wreak havoc on the parents who rely on the centers for child care. Many will not be able to work without SHINE or Schuylkill ACHIEVE.

Many local legislators, Republicans and Democrats, have joined me in seeking a solution to this problem. If our efforts are unsuccessful, I have a new gavel as the Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and I know how to use it.

If we do not receive concrete assurances from Education Secretary Dr. Khalid Mumin or the Governor’s office that this problem has been resolved, you will soon see public hearings of the Senate Education Committee convened to demand a solution.

The thousands of children who will soon lose access to these proven educational efforts deserve nothing less.

Sen. Dave Argall represents the 29th Senate District, Carbon and Schuylkill counties and southern Luzerne County.