Municipal officials recognize the importance of improving learning opportunities for children and youth and the essential role afterschool hours programming plays to improve academics, develop skills, and provide exposure to new experiences. These leaders have the ability to bolster afterschool hours programs in their communities.
In recognizing that strong municipal leadership is even more important when a community is trying to ensure the quality of disparate afterschool hours opportunities amidst the COVID pandemic to make sure they work for all the communities’ youngest residents, NLC has developed the Afterschool Policy Advisors Network (APAN) to help share research, tools and best practices among stakeholders from across the country. NLC has more than two decades worth of experience and knowledge working with cities and municipal leaders to help strengthen local efforts to create, expand and improve afterschool hours learning opportunities.
The network includes more than 600 members from over 300 cities and includes local elected officials, senior municipal staff, and other policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and national partner organizations. This network is open to all municipal officials who are interested in joining. Other community leaders and afterschool program providers may join APAN as network affiliates.
The network is made possible by the generous support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and The Wallace Foundation.