The New York State Afterschool Network began in 2001 as an advisory group to the New York State Education Department for the planning and implementation of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) in New York State as the U.S. Department of Education transferred the administration of 21st CCLC to the states. In 2003, this advisory group formally became New York State Afterschool Network with the support of funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and local fiscal sponsorship from The After-School Corporation (TASC).
NYSAN is now part of a national network of 38 statewide networks supported by the Mott Foundation. Since 2003, NYSAN has grown to be led by an 18-member Steering Committee with five affiliated regional networks hundreds of participating partner organizations statewide. NYSAN continues to receive support from the Mott Foundation, TASC and other funders and partners.
Key Accomplishments
NYSAN is the only statewide organization in New York State that brings together public and private sector leaders to focus on improving afterschool opportunities for all young people in the state.
In its short history, NYSAN has:
- Created the NYSAN Program Quality Self-Assessment (QSA) Tool [link to Quality Assessment page], a nationally recognized tool to assist program staff, young people and other stakeholders in building the capacity of their program. The QSA Tool has been adopted by the New York State Education Department, New York City Department of Youth and Community Development and many other groups across New York State and nationally.
- Published a User's Guide for the QSA Tool. This User's Guide offers insight and examples on the self-assessment process and aids programs in their quality improvement and planning efforts. The User's Guide is available for download free of charge.
- Developed a statewide policy agenda encouraging structural, regulatory and funding reforms at the state level to increase the quality and availability of afterschool opportunities. The policy agenda was created with input from stakeholders across the New York State and has been adopted as part of the legislative and policy agendas of many of NYSAN's advocacy partners.
- Established affiliate relationships with five regional afterschool networks serving upstate areas of New York. Regional networks bring partners together at the local and regional levels to share information, expand professional development opportunities and advocate for local, state and national funding and policy reform.
- Facilitated coordination among local, state and national partners to help achieve increased funding for afterschool, including added state and federal funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, increases to the Advantage After School and Youth Development/Delinquency Prevention programs, and expansion of the New York City Out-of-School Time (OST) Initiative.
- Launched Quality Comes First: A Leadership Institute for the Managers of New York's Afterschool Funding Initiatives. A year-long, invitation-only program, this Institute is an innovative professional development [link to Professional Development page] effort to increase the capacity of key public agency staff to support quality improvement of publicly-funded afterschool programs across the state.
- Published a series of policy briefs to inform state policymakers about the needs and opportunities of afterschool and suggest steps the state should take to build a more coordinated statewide afterschool system.
- Requested and received, in coordination with the Afterschool Alliance and The After-School Corporation (TASC), an honorary lighting of the Empire State Building as part of the annual national awareness campaign Lights On Afterschool!
