This report details the need for more coordination of state and federal funding streams and the implementation of comprehensive policies to support the gains that have been made in ASOST programming in Massachusetts. In particular, the report details the strategies laid out by the working groups established by the Coordinating Council.
Established in 2012, the Massachusetts Governor’s After School and Out-of-School Time (ASOST) Coordinating Council is a 15-member council tasked with researching resources and evidence-based strategies that best support children and youth in the Commonwealth during their out-of-school hours. This council is charged with articulating a coordinated statewide vision for expanded learning opportunities (ELO) that supports students socially, emotionally, and academically. In year two of its initial four-year operating period, the Council seeks to enable statewide change and systems improvement by developing new tools, educating communities on ASOST, and supporting new research. The Coordinating Council is tasked with development and implementation of policies that build a foundation for collaboration, partnerships, and enrichment of the youth of Massachusetts.
The report may be of interest to lawmakers in other states interested in establishing similar policy to support student learning outside of the school day, especially for students in communities with the most need for access to such programs.
Source Organization: Massachusetts Afterschool Partnership