Education City Examples: Afterschool

Beloit, Wisconsin
(Population 36,348)

The Building on the Blocks of Beloit’s Youth (B.O.B.B.Y.) Initiative, housed by the Beloit Health Department, offers integrated health and social services in a one-stop-shopping arrangement for elementary school students.  Programs are recreational, educational (including tutoring by students from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater), artistic, and musical in nature.  The tutoring and enrichment activities offered at the centers create a strong linkage between school instruction and afterschool tutoring.  The project is a collaborative between the City of Beloit and the Greater Beloit Community Foundation.

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Birmingham, Alabama
(Population 229,424)
 
Since the early 1970s, the City of Birmingham has used a funding formula for community education wherein the Mayor and City Council provide two-thirds of the program cost through the city’s general fund budget and the Birmingham Board of Education provides one-third.  The program has several related goals: to provide community residents with lifelong learning opportunities; to cooperate with other community agencies to provide health, education, cultural, and recreational opportunities at accessible central locations; and to involve the community in the education process.  Cooperative arrangements with city agencies help centers provide a wide array of services on site and address issues such as illiteracy, unemployment, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and homelessness.  Advisory Councils at each of the cities 18 sites feed into a citywide council that helps the school district set policy and direction for the initiative.

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Boston, Massachusetts
(Population 590,763)

In 1998, Mayor Thomas M. Menino created the Boston 2:00-to-6:00 After-School Initiative to help expand afterschool programs in every neighborhood in the city.  This initiative invests more than $11.5 million each year in afterschool programming and has also helped to leverage an additional $17 million from public and private sources to expand the number of children served.  Further, the city has published “Financing Our Children’s Future,” a guide to resources from the federal, state, and local governments as well as foundations and corporations that are available for afterschool programming.  The Mayor’s Task Force on Afterschool Time developed recommendations and provided public support for expanding high-quality afterschool programming in Boston.

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Bridgeport, Connecticut
(Population 137,912)

The City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, in partnership with the school district and several community nonprofit agencies, devised a strategy to open the doors of schools in the afterschool hours.  A combination of municipal, state, and federal funds keeps the programs running.  Funds supporting the program are allocated to local institutions of higher education, religious groups, community service centers, ethnic organizations, education service and special needs agencies, regional museums, and innovative nonprofit and educational entrepreneurs.  School administrators partner with city officials to plan, implement, and evaluate programs.

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Charlotte, North Carolina
(population 540,828)

The Beatties Ford Road Corridor Afterschool Initiative is a collaboration between the Charlotte City Council, City Manager’s Office, Mecklenburg County, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, and various community leaders.  Forty-five community leaders are a part of the Beatties Ford Road Corridor Afterschool Initiative Steering Committee.  Choosing to target an area of 22 neighborhoods with above-average dropout rates and juvenile arrests, the steering committee surveyed students to help assess community wants and needs and developed a model middle school program.  Based on recommendations from the steering committee, in 2003, the city council allocated $60,000 for the program, marking the first direct funding from the city for afterschool.  The school district then provided matching funding in response to the city’s investment. 

Both the city and school district continue to invest in the program and coordinate funding efforts.  Parents and students now sit on the steering committee and an expanded youth leadership council is active in the initiative.

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Claremont, California
(Population 35,103)

The City of Claremont, in cooperation with the Claremont Unified School District and a variety of community agencies, has designed an afterschool membership program for 7th and 8th grade Claremont students.  TRACKS links a variety of recreational, enrichment, and youth development activities under one umbrella.  The program’s director is employed by TRACKS on a part-time basis and also works part-time as a campus monitor for the school district.  This unique partnership allows the director to be on the campus for a portion of the day and allows students as well as parents to become more familiar with the afterschool program. 

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Denver, Colorado
(Population 566,974)

In partnership with the Denver Public Schools, the mayor launched an effort to support afterschool programming for Denver’s middle-school youth.  The resulting program, called Club Denver, is modeled after “career academies” and now operates in all 20 of the city’s middle schools.  Each club focuses on a specific career pathway and is led by a teacher who receives a $750 stipend per academic semester.  Individual teachers report to their school principals and to a staff person in the city agency that is most closely associated with that club’s career pathway.  For example, instructors for the Aviation Club report to the Denver International Airport.  The city staff supervisors provide ideas, curriculum, and other support to the instructors.

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Fort Worth, Texas
(Population 653,320)

After a special joint meeting was held between the Fort Worth City Council and the Board of Education of the Fort Worth Independent School District, staff members of the two entities were directed to prepare an in-depth proposal on a collaborative effort to provide afterschool programming for the children of Fort
Worth.  The result was a $2.2 million initiative to fund afterschool programs in 52 schools across the city.  At the end of the initial year of implementation, evaluators from Texas A&M created a “report card” for the citywide program and rated its performance in a variety of categories to help the community assess how well the program was meeting its intended objectives. 

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Grand Rapids, Michigan
(population 197,800)

The City of Grand Rapids has made great strides to improve the afterschool programs available in the city.  As part of an NLC technical assistance effort, the city established an Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Network made up of a Leadership Council to raise public awareness and mobilize community support, an Executive Team that coordinates and oversees ELO efforts, a Quality Committee that focuses on standards and accountability, a Public Education/Marketing Committee, and a Public Policy Committee that advocates for funding and supportive policies for afterschool.  Members of the ELO include representatives from the city, school district, business and nonprofit organizations, university community, and afterschool providers. 

Afterschool efforts in Grand Rapids have focused on needs assessment, program standards, and continued funding.  To help improve existing afterschool programs, the City of Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Public Schools developed a database of programs based on survey data from 700 afterschool providers.  With help from the Grand Valley State University, the data was integrated into GIS maps to create a map of afterschool programs by neighborhood.  The maps and database are accessible to parents and students. 

After reviewing a variety of best practices, outcomes, and models, the ELO established a set of quality standards for afterschool programs along with a standards self-assessment tool.

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Indianapolis, Indiana
(population 791,926)

As part of a commitment to afterschool, Mayor Bart Peterson appointed a cabinet-level afterschool programs coordinator and designated a school liaison officer in the Department of Parks and Recreation.  In partnership with the Indianapolis Public Schools, a local nonprofit called Bridges to Success, and major youth providers in the city, the Mayor’s Office established the Afterschool Coalition of Indianapolis (ACI).  The ACI is made up of over 25 diverse organizations that plan, develop, and expand afterschool programs offered in the city.  The ACI developed a five-year strategic plan to ensure afterschool for all by 2010 and has worked collaboratively to secure funding and support from the community and business leaders to reach their 2010 objective. 

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Longview, Washington
(Population 36,767)

Started in 1993, the Youth After Hours program offers elementary students from schools in high-risk neighborhoods a secure and stable environment to establish relationships with peers and adults; a safe place to relax; and an opportunity to develop life skills and goals, receive recognition, and enjoy a sense of purpose and belonging.  Local youth serving agencies and groups submit proposals to run different activities in the program.  The program is coordinated by the county’s substance abuse coalition but partners include the parks and recreation department, camp fire boys and girls, boy scouts and girl scouts, the YMCA, and the Washington State university Cooperative Extension/4-H.

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Norfolk, Virginia
(Population  234,403)

The After the Bell program is run by the city’s Department of Neighborhood Preservation and benefits from partnerships between the city, Norfolk Public Schools, and community organizations.  By partnering with the school district, the city is able to use money from a 21st CCLC grant to provide afterschool programs at two middle schools.  The school district, housing the afterschool programs, also provides transportation to the sites for students from other middle schools.  The city received funding from the Virginia Tobacco Settlement to implement life skills into their afterschool program.  Kids Café, a program of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, provides meals and food for the students.  The Public Library offers their book mobile and representatives from Nauticus provide afterschool activities. 

The After the Bell program also relies on parent fees as part of their budget and revenue.  Parents are charged $40 a month but with 67% of students eligible for free and reduced lunches, the city provides fee waivers on a sliding scale. 

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Salt Lake City, Utah
(Population 178,858)

The Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office in partnership with the Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Department began offering afterschool programs for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders starting in January 2001.  YouthCity activities are designed to enrich students through access to artistic, recreational, and technological resources.  In addition to workshop space, there is also room for students to study or socialize.  At the 2001 Lights On Afterschool Day, Mayor Anderson outlined a two-year plan for expansion of YouthCity.  He also highlighted the importance of building partnerships between business leaders, nonprofit organizations, and local government to provide funding and tax-supported facilities for these programs.

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San Diego, California
(Population 1,256,951)

The City of San Diego, in cooperation with San Diego Unified School District, developed a vision of universal before-school and afterschool programs in every public elementary and middle school within its jurisdiction.  Leaders of the “6 to 6 Initiative” are fulfilling their vision by channeling funds through the mayor’s office.  This approach allows funding earmarked for individual components of the initiative to be pooled together and then distributed to the program sites to support the entire program.  The coordinated funding structure also protects individual programs from changes in the flow of funds from any one funding source.

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Santa Barbara, California
(Population 92,325) 

The City of Santa Barbara supports three afterschool programs: Afterschool Opportunities for Kids (A-OK), the Recreation Afterschool Program (RAP), and the Junior High Afterschool Sports and Recreation Program.  All three are operated in partnership with the city, school district, community organizations, and local businesses.  Although the Santa Barbara School District is the lead agency for the A-OK Program, scholarships are available through the city Parks and Recreation Department.  The city provides in-kind resources to the program, including use of recreation centers, staff, and coaches.  The program receives over $100,000 in city contributions.  A-OK is part of the Santa Barbara Healthy Start Partnership and is a joint effort between the city, school district, Girls, Inc., and Family Service Agency. 

RAP is funded and run by the Parks and Recreation Department.  The city charges user fees based on a sliding scale. The school district provides facilities for programs at five school sites. The Junior High Afterschool Sports and Recreation Program is jointly sponsored by the school district, the City of Santa Barbara, and the neighboring city of Goleta. 

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Seat Pleasant, Maryland
(Population 4,997)

Started by Seat Pleasant’s City Education Committee and expanded by the Parks and Recreation Department, the Afterschool Study and Recreation Center provides constructive activities for children who would otherwise be unsupervised until their parents return from work.  The primary focus is on homework and tutorial time, accompanied by specialized recreation activities.  Students also have access to computers and the Internet as well as study cubicles.  The city became involved after concluding that “a schoolbased program is impractical because children in our area are bussed to many different elementary and middle schools.”  The city supports the program by providing minibus transportation to and from program sites.

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Seattle, Washington
(Population 582,454)

Seattle has had a long history of developing cutting edge strategies to support afterschool programs.  Project Lift-Off seeks to create effective and affordable early learning and out-of-school time opportunities for Seattle’s kids, ages birth to 18.  Under Project Lift-Off, the city has worked to leverage its investments through the development of an innovative “Opportunity Fund” with an association of philanthropies in the Northwest.  They challenged these grantmakers to work together – and with the city – to provide coordinated funding for key child care priorities.  Through the Opportunity Fund, the city invests $1 for every $2 invested by philanthropies in a funding pool.  The participating grantmakers can then choose to invest the pooled funding in any project that matches the Project Lift-Off “Blueprint for Change” strategies.

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Statesboro, Georgia
(Population 25,583)

Eleven of Bullock County’s fourteen schools provide enrichment activities for students outside of regular school hours.  Elementary school students get help with their homework from college students, and participate in games and activities.  The program for middle school students focuses on academics, community service, recreation, and conflict resolution.  Afterschool care has been so successful that the county’s School Board and Parks and Recreation Department share the salary costs for a teacher to help run the program at each school.

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White Plains, New York
(Population 57,081)

The White Plains Youth Bureau provides children and youth safe, structured afterschool activities that engage student interest, develop skills, and present opportunities for community service under the supervision of positive role models.  In order to maintain the affordability and the quality of the program, the Youth Bureau forms creative partnerships with the community and other city
agencies.  One example of this creative partnership is the program’s connection to the Senior Center.  Through the Foster Granny program, senior citizens provide homework assistance and play games with the youth.  Building on the success of this program, the afterschool students now volunteer at the Senior Center where they can interact with far more senior citizens.  Recently, the Youth Bureau received a grant to have middle school youth work with the senior citizens to develop a book and video chronicling the life of these seniors.

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