New York City Mayor Eric Adams has taken a significant step towards expanding after-school programs by signing Executive Order 54, which establishes the Commission on Universal After-School. The commission is tasked with the ambitious goal of crafting a roadmap for delivering after-school services to all public school students from kindergarten through eighth grade in the five boroughs. In a significant financial commitment, the Adams administration has promised $331 million to add 20,000 new seats over the coming three school years, with a future goal of a $755 million annual investment.
Speaking on the program's impact, Mayor Adams stated, "It takes a city to raise a child, but for too long, families in the five boroughs have not had access to affordable child care or after-school programming." Going forward, the mayor aims to prevent parents from having to choose between insufficient care options for their kids post-school. Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Ana J. Almanzar expressed a commitment to making the city an ideal place for raising a family. The commission intends to focus on issues including funding, program quality, and other related areas, according to a report released by the Mayor's office.
Members of the new commission include co-chairs Grace Bonilla from the United Way of New York City and Dennis M. Walcott from the Queens Public Library, as well as representatives from various other organizations and institutions such as United Federation of Teachers, Children’s Aid, and the YMCA of Greater New York.
The commission's introduction follows Mayor Adams's continuous push to make New York City more affordable and supportive for families through programs targeting early childhood education and child care. The mayor recently launched a child care pilot for infants and toddlers and committed $167 million annually to 3-K and special education pre-K. With these initiatives, Adams has signaled a steadfast commitment to creating foundational educational support that extends beyond classroom hours. Over the last three years, the administration has also worked to protect over $600 million in key education programs, ensuring ongoing investments in city-wide educational resources, detailed in a report by the Mayor's office.
This recent initiative aims to improve equity and access for underserved populations, which is part of the commission’s mandate. In collaboration with the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and New York City Public Schools, the commission will assist in the recommendation process that supports DYCD’s current after-school procurement procedures. Feedback from a concept paper released by DYCD, which ended on July 15, will be used to inform a request for proposals expected to be issued in the fall as part of the commission’s work to update the after-school care system for New York City’s children.
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