About Commission on Universal After-School 

Established by Executive Order 54, the Commission on Universal After-School brings together a cross-sector of leaders from community based after-school providers, advocacy groups, philanthropy, labor groups, the business sector, and parents with lived experience using after-school programs for their children. Members of the after-school commission were selected to bring diverse perspectives, ideas, and expertise to develop a long-term strategy to deliver a universal after-school system that is sustainable in the long term and ensures non-profit organizations have the tools they need to hire and train staff and deliver quality programming. 

The Commission’s work will build on the Adams administration’s historic $331 million commitment in 2025 to support the addition of 20,000 new seats by the 2027 school year, bringing after-school programming to a total of 184,000 public school students as funding is increased to a total investment of $755 million annually. 

To develop an interim report, the Commission met monthly in the latter half of 2025, documenting the major components needed for a universal system and casting a vision for its future, working closely with the Department of Youth and Community Development, New York City Public Schools, and the Mayor’s Office. The Commission will continue to meet in 2026 and deliver a full roadmap by August.  

Commission Vision

We envision a universal after-school system that is accessible to every child and grounded in positive youth development. The system should be designed to support each child’s holistic growth and provide families with options that meet their needs.