March 4, 2014
By Stephanie West
New York, NY—Mayor Bill de Blasio released a report detailing plans to implement the expansion of after-school programs to every middle school student who needs one. This will enable programs to reach nearly 120,000 children.
Mayor de Blasio has called on leaders in Albany to authorize New York City to increase the local income tax on its highest earners to provide the dedicated and reliable funding required to expand those proven programs, as well as to ensure every child has access to high-quality pre-K.
“We are putting forward programs that will be game-changers for kids. I’ve seen with my own children what finding a passion in art or science can mean to someone at that age. This is a critical investment that will transform our schools—but it is also a powerful policy to keep kids out of trouble and fight the influences that can take them off the right path. We need the power to make this investment now,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The goal is to have after-school programs universally accessible to middle school students in the 2014-2015 school year.
