COMMISSION ON UNIVERSAL AFTER-SCHOOL
WHEREAS, the City of New York serves over 600,000 kindergarten through eighth grade students through the public school system, yet fewer than 165,000 of New York City students in kindergarten through eighth grade currently have the ability to enroll in free after-school programming provided by the Department of Youth and Community Development; and
WHEREAS, after-school programs have demonstrated benefits for youth participants, including increases in school engagement, social emotional development, and positive relationships with peers and adults; and
WHEREAS, after-school programs also support working families and local communities by creating safe spaces for young people to convene during out-of-school hours; and
WHEREAS, the City of New York has made a commitment to creating opportunities for young people to thrive and for working families to access affordable childcare; and
WHEREAS, the City of New York has committed $331 million to provide seats for 20,000 more students in kindergarten through fifth grade to participate in after-school programs and to stabilize and strengthen the current after-school system through increased payment rates to providers of after-school programming; and
WHEREAS, it is the City’s policy goal to expand after-school programming in order for it to become available to all students in kindergarten through fifth grade, which necessitates a long-term strategic plan; and
WHEREAS, to develop such a plan, the City of New York will convene the City’s foremost experts in youth development, education, social services and program operations from nonprofit and private sectors to work in partnership with City government;
NOW, THEREFORE, by the power vested in me as Mayor of the City of New York, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Establishment of the Commission. There is hereby established an advisory Commission on Universal After-School (the “Commission”) within the Office of the Mayor.
§ 2. Duties of the Commission. The Commission shall:
a. Develop a long-term strategy to facilitate the growth and improvement of after-school programming, with an initial focus on the expansion of services for kindergarten through fifth grade students in the City of New York;
b. Develop a set of recommendations for the implementation of the long-term strategy developed pursuant to subsection (a), taking into consideration programming, funding, capacity, quality, innovation, and equitable administration;
c. Develop recommendations to ensure that the Department of Youth and Community Development’s program development and procurement practices are aligned with the long-term strategy developed pursuant to subsection (a), establishing the requisite conditions to best promote long-term growth of the program.
d. Regularly track and share its progress with the Mayor.
§ 3. Composition of the Commission.
a. The Commission shall consist of no fewer than twenty members and shall not exceed forty members, all of whom shall be appointed by the Mayor. All members shall serve without compensation and at the pleasure of the Mayor.
b. The Commission shall have an Executive Director who shall be designated by the Mayor.
c. The Mayor shall designate two members of the Commission to serve as co-chairs. The Co-Chairs shall not be employees of the City of New York.
d. The Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives or their successor, and the Commissioner of the Department of Youth and Community Development or their designees shall serve as ex-officio members of the Commission.
e. The Chancellor of New York City Public Schools or their designee may serve as an ex-officio member of the Commission.
f. The Commission shall consult with the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services, the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services, and the Office of Management and Budget, as well as other City, state, and federal agencies as appropriate, to accomplish its objectives.
g. Members of the Commission may be employed by providers of after-school programming, provided that:
i. No member of the Commission shall be provided access to any confidential information or given preferential consideration with regard to any procurement matter with the City of New York.
ii. The recommendations of the Commission shall not be considered determinative in the planning or implementation of the City’s after-school program.
§ 4. The Commission shall deliver to the Mayor a list of initial recommendations regarding its long-term strategy regarding program expansion and improvement within six months of the date of this order.
§ 5. Following the delivery of the recommendations required pursuant to section 4, the Commission shall deliver to the Mayor a full report on the Commission’s long-term strategy regarding program expansion and improvement within one year of the date of this order.
§ 6. The Commission shall be dissolved upon the submission of its final report to the Mayor pursuant to section 5 of this order.
§ 7. This Order shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to terminate and expire upon the submission of a final report in accordance with section 6.
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Eric Adams
Mayor