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Quality out-of-school programming has been shown to have positive impacts on young people’s academic, social, physical, and social development. Summer programs, particularly, are also demonstrably effective in closing the achievement gap between higher- and lower-performing students. Currently, there are 6,400 license-exempt or licensed School Age Child Care (SACC) and Family Child Care programs in the region, with a total capacity of 67,000 children (approximately 12% of the region’s 5- 14 year old population.) 23% of participating children receive subsidies administered by MA Department of Education and Care, and approximately 2,700 children are on the waitlist. New strategies are needed to spread this effective tool.

8)    Create public-private partnerships to provide resources for out-of-school programs
Partnering with private funders, businesses, and private institutions can dramatically increase the resources available to out-of-school programs. Not only is this an important way for programs to access new revenue sources, it also increases young people’s access to public health, artistic or cultural institutions, workforce training, and other disciplines. The state agencies primarily involved in out of school programs, the Department of Early Education and Care and the Department of Education, should take the lead in developing and fostering these programs. Additionally, legislative language should be strengthened to require schools and organizations to collaborate when planning new after-school programs.

The Departments of Education and Early Education and Care should work to identify potential partners for out of school time providers, and to support existing partnerships. 

8.a    The Legislature should form a commission to study changing Chapter 70 language to make it easier for schools to collaborate with community-based after school programs

9)    Streamline access to funding for after-school and out-of-school programs
Directors of out-of-school programs are currently faced with a dizzying array of funding options from which to support their activities, from the federal to the state and local levels, as well as private partnerships and grants. The Commonwealth should ensure that state funding sources are as accessible as possible.

The State agencies that provide grants to out of school and after school programs should, led by the Department of Education, work to make their grants more effective and user-friendly  This can be accomplished by increasing the length of their grants from one-year to multi-year cycles and by pooling resources across administrative departments to reduce the barriers community-based organizations face when applying for funding.  This will also create a more efficient, cost-effective system, and the savings that this generates can be invested in technical assistance to help relevant groups find and apply for all of the funding for which they qualify. 

9.a    The Department of Education should create and maintain a centralized online listing of federal, state, local, and private funding opportunities for after-school and out-of-school programs