by Bela Shah

The inaugural meeting of the Afterschool Policy Advisors? Network (APAN) focused on how local officials can promote high-quality afterschool programs.

An energetic and committed group of more than 30 local elected officials and senior municipal leaders from around the country gathered in San Antonio last month for the group?s first meeting.

APAN serves as a vehicle for cities to share ideas, strategies, best practices and questions about creating and expanding quality afterschool programs. It was launched in March by NLC?s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) with support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

APAN members receive electronic updates on the latest research, resources, tools and opportunities to help them strengthen their city?s afterschool programs. 

Those encouraged to join include senior municipal staff who work on afterschool policy and programs across a range of city departments or agencies, such as mayor and councilmember offices or departments of parks and recreation or children and youth.

?The APAN meeting provided our Lakewood team clear and practical methods of improving our services regarding our city?s afterschool programming,? said Mayor Tom George, Lakewood, Ohio. ?The dialogue and information will also prove invaluable in constructing our city?s overall family-friendly community strategy.?

Mission
During the kick-off meeting, the participants agreed that APAN?s mission is to be a national peer learning network of municipal leaders to promote high quality afterschool opportunities for all children and youth.

Key topics discussed in an open forum included:

? how to engage high school-age youth and disconnected youth in afterschool;

? collecting good data;

? evaluation strategies;

? how to articulate the benefits of afterschool to your community and municipal officials;

? strengthening connections to the business community;

? closing the achievement gap;

? creating partnerships with local universities

? tracking mobile youth as families move throughout the city;

? collaboration between cities and school districts; and

? connecting to the national agenda on afterschool reform.

Examples
The open forum generated great ideas and possible solutions from the cities present.

In response to questions about data collection, Kathy Livingston from Fort Worth, Texas, noted that the city did a five-year survey to measure specific outcomes and offered to share the survey instrument.

Grenae Dudley from Detroit, Mich., explained the Mayor?s Time information system, which gets data from the Detroit Public Schools and the Department of Juvenile Justice. With unique identifiers to maintain confidentiality, the city can track youth as they move from program to program.

Judith Kahn and Hedy Lamar Walls from Minneapolis, Minn., shared their strategy of involving corporate executives in Principal-for-a-Day initiatives as a way to engage the business community.

Representing the Mayor?s Office for Education in Denver, Colo., Maxine Quintana noted how important it was for the City to make clear it they did not want to take over the schools. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper makes a school visit every week to show his support.

Financing Strategies
An engaging session on city financing strategies provided an overview of federal funds that are available and allowed time for cities to share their local approaches to funding and sustainability.

Local options mentioned included:

? accessing additional dollars through partnerships with the schools and community-based organizations,

? leveraging dollars from other organizations,

? helping afterschool providers become certified as a Supplemental Education Services provider,

? coalition building efforts that resulted in increased 21st Century Community Learning Center grants, and

? accessing Federal Food Program dollars to provide meals to young people in the afterschool hours.

Future APAN Activities
Based on the variety of topics generating interest among APAN participants, an audioconference series will be developed later this year.

In May 2006, the YEF Institute will host a National City Afterschool Summit in partnership with the Afterschool Alliance in Washington, D.C.

Local elected officials are encouraged to attend this summit to make a statement about the city?s role in the national afterschool reform movement and to hear from peers about strategies to create citywide systems to support expanded learning opportunities. More details will be available soon.

Details: To receive more information about the meeting or about joining APAN, contact Bela Shah at shah@nlc.org.