The After-School Corporation today commended Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg on moving New York one step closer to offering students universal access to after-school enrichment and support, under the mayor's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2007-08.
The president of The After-School Corporation (TASC), a nonprofit organization committed to providing all kids and families with access to after-school programs, commended Mayor Bloomberg for proposing to increase investment in New York's groundbreaking Out-of-School-Time initiative. Currently about 140,000 of New York's 1.1 million public school students have access to after-school programs that support them academically, inspire them through arts and sports and other enrichments, and keep them safe while their parents work.
Preliminary analyses of the Mayor's budget proposal suggest that an additional 14,000 elementary students could attend after-school programs by 2009 through budget increases to the city's Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), led by Commissioner Jeanne B. Mullgrav.
"We're tremendously encouraged not only by the Mayor's budget proposal, but also by calls from the Mayor, Chancellor Klein and Commissioner Mullgrav for community-based organizations to partner with schools in supporting great programs from 3 to 6," TASC President Lucy N. Friedman said. "We join those officials and City Council members in striving to make the best use of an extended school day to help more New York kids achieve success. Through the persistence and creativity of Commissioner Mullgrav and others, New York will take greater advantage of every hour in the day to benefit kids."
The TASC program model calls for community-based organizations to operate after-school programs in schools at the invitation of school principals. TASC enhances the programs with sports, cultural, literacy and other offerings, and provides staff training and monitoring to assure that programs provide high-quality services. TASC has supported 259 programs now operating in city schools, and also administers city-wide programs such as the After-School Education Apprenticeship program, a Saturday leadership and training program for high school students. Research shows that kids who participate regularly in after-school programs achieve better attendance and academic results and forge stronger school connections.
"The city must not only increase the number of kids who can go to after-school programs, but make sure that every program is great," Friedman says. "We need to stay focused on enhancing the quality and diversity of these programs so that kids get engaged, they want to keep coming, and they learn and develop to their full potential."
Contact: Susan Brenna; sbrenna@tascorp.org
