Citizen Schools :: Initiatives

Public Policy

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Public Policy Initiatives

Citizen Schools aims to positively influence public policy at the city, state, and federal levels to strengthen the after-school and out-of-school-time sector. We seek to help improve public funding for the after-school sector, as well as increase funding sources for Citizen Schools, making the funding more useful and entrepreneurial. We value collaboration with other sectors, such as the community-building/social capital sector, the school-to-work sector, and the service learning and national service sector, and incorporate this into our public policy strategy.

The Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After-School Act

Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) introduced the Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After-School (T-FELAS) Act in the United States Senate. The bill has the potential to create a 10,000-member national corps of recent college graduates who would lead after-school programs, working in schools in the morning. It is co-sponsored by Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), John Kerry (D-MA), and Bernard Sanders (I-VT).

For more on T-FELAS, read Senator Kennedy's floor statement, the text of the bill, or a Boston Globe editorial endorsing the bill.

Commonwealth Corps

Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts has called for a Commonwealth Corps to encourage service and volunteerism among residents of the state. Its members would commit to a year of service, full-time or part-time, and would be placed in public entities or nonprofit organizations around the state.

For more on the Commonwealth Corps, read a press release about the introduction of the legislation, a bill summary, or the full text of the bill. You can also read a Boston Globe op-ed on the topic co-written by Citizen Schools President & CEO Eric Schwarz.

State Support of Citizen Schools

Citizen Schools was included in the Fiscal Year 2008 Massachusetts State Budget as a $475,000 matching grants line item under the Department of Education. This was an increase of over 50% from our funding the previous year – an enormous accomplishment during a particularly difficult fiscal year for the state of Massachusetts. This indicates a powerful investment in Citizen Schools by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, of which we are extremely proud. We hope to continue to develop similar relationships and streams of public funding in our other states.

Background: For FY2007, Citizen Schools received $300,000 as an amendment to the Senate budget – the third budget released in the process. For FY2008, Citizen Schools was included in the Governor's original budget at $303,000, the House's original budget at $300,000, the Senate's original budget at $475,000, and the House & Senate Ways and Means Conference Committee budget at $475,000 - then signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick.

View the Citizen Schools Matching Grants Line Item
View Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's budget website

Bi-Annual Reimagining After-School Symposium

Every two years, Citizen Schools helps to convene leaders in the fields of education, after-school, youth development, business, academia, and policy on Capitol Hill for a day of learning and dialogue. Read about the 2006 Reimagining After-School Symposium.

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