New York City’s after care programs are facing significant upheaval as budget cuts implemented by Mayor Eric Adams are set to drastically reduce the availability of crucial out-of-school time services. A range of after-school initiatives are now scrambling to reassess their operations for the upcoming year after learning their contracts would not be renewed due to these financial constraints.
The city-wide COMPASS Explore program, known for offering specialized enrichment classes to students from kindergarten through 12th grade, will be entirely eliminated. Additionally, SONYC (Schools Out NYC), a program catering to middle school students, is also slated to lose a considerable number of enrollment slots.
Nonprofit organizations responsible for managing these vital programs were notified earlier this year via email from the city’s Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) that their existing contracts would terminate on June 30th and would not be extended. These After Care Programs Cut decisions, totaling almost $7 million in combined funding reductions for both COMPASS Explore and SONYC, came as an unexpected blow to program administrators.
“We anticipated potential agency-level impacts, but the complete elimination of the program itself was unforeseen,” stated Derwin Greene, representing the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, which operates a COMPASS Explore program at Bronx Theatre High School.
COMPASS Explore distinguishes itself by offering in-depth, subject-specific classes – spanning art, music, STEM, and leadership – to students across K-12. These programs are designed to allow students to intensely explore their passions. Notably, some COMPASS Explore programs are specifically tailored to support LGBTQ youth or students with disabilities. (It’s important to note that COMPASS Explore is distinct from the larger, more generalized COMPASS program – Comprehensive After School System of New York City – offering more focused and specialized services.)
The elimination of the $2.7 million Explore program has sparked concerns about broader consequences beyond the immediate loss of approximately 1,900 student slots. Some organizations fear this could impair their capacity to adequately staff other programs, as they often rely on a combination of funding streams from various contracts to provide a comprehensive suite of services.
Public records indicate that alongside the COMPASS Explore cuts, approximately 1,660 SONYC slots are being eliminated out of a total of 50,000, resulting in a $4.2 million reduction in spending.
The COMPASS Explore program managed by Greene’s organization at Bronx Theatre is particularly impactful for older students. It provides college counseling, college campus visits, and job readiness training for juniors and seniors. Furthermore, the program integrates social-emotional learning and features a paid youth council, where students receive stipends for their advocacy work. They even offer one-on-one office hours during school days for students needing extra academic support.
While the organization holds a separate COMPASS contract for their work with freshmen and sophomores at the school, Greene emphasized that relying solely on a single contract would be financially unsustainable for their continued presence at the school. “Our existing contracts are already insufficient,” Greene explained. “We depend on supplementary funding to bridge the gap.”
Scrutiny of Rationale for After Care Programs Cut
City records suggest that the after care programs cut were intended to target programs with low utilization rates – those failing to meet contracted participation benchmarks. However, a survey conducted by United Neighborhood Houses (UNH), an umbrella organization collaborating with settlement houses throughout the city, indicates this was not the case.
Greene mentioned that their Explore program often intentionally over-enrolls students to account for potential dropouts, but this year, student attrition was lower than anticipated. The majority of COMPASS Explore programs surveyed by UNH were indeed meeting their performance targets. While some SONYC providers reported not meeting their enrollment goals, several contributing factors complicate the interpretation of these figures. These include delays in staff licensing and background checks, stagnant contract rates that hinder the ability to offer competitive wages, and shifts in the demographics of their student populations.
City officials have stated that the main COMPASS program was prioritized over Explore due to the latter’s fewer operating days per week. They also asserted that “lesser used” seats were targeted based on available data to minimize disruption for families. “The city remains dedicated to delivering high-quality, engaging, and secure afterschool programming,” DYCD spokesperson Mark Zustovich stated in an email. “DYCD is actively collaborating with our COMPASS providers to serve the maximum number of young people possible as the budget process progresses in the coming weeks.”
Concerns Mount as After Care Programs Shrink Amidst Rising Demand
Once these after care program slots are eliminated, they are not reallocated elsewhere within the system. This reduction in overall capacity is particularly concerning given the growing interest in after-school program enrollment, according to nonprofit providers.
Data from the mayor’s management report reveals a nearly 3% increase in participation across city-run programs during the first four months of fiscal year 2024 compared to the previous year.
“Cutting COMPASS Explore and SONYC represents a direct withdrawal of funds from the after-school system at a time when every dollar is invaluable,” stated Nora Moran, policy director at United Neighborhood Houses. “These after care programs cut are being treated as general savings within the system, effectively shrinking the total resources available to DYCD.”
This situation is especially troubling, Moran added, as the cost per participant is rising due to increased operational expenses, such as the minimum wage.
Farida Mohammed, a senior at Orchard Collegiate Academy in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, is one of approximately 30 high school students participating in a COMPASS Explore program run by Grand Street Settlement. This program focuses on college readiness and career exploration, alongside essential life skills, financial literacy, and effective study habits.
“It’s incredibly beneficial,” said Mohammed, a 17-year-old from the Bronx. Through the program, she has acquired skills in resume building, utilizing Notion AI for daily planning to manage her assignments, and enhancing her public speaking abilities. “The counselors at my school simply don’t teach these kinds of practical skills.”
Grand Street Settlement also manages another COMPASS Explore program at P.S. 158 in East New York, concentrating on health and wellness for around 75 students, incorporating nutrition education and physical activity.
Thanh Bui, Chief Program Officer at Grand Street Settlement, expressed particular concern regarding the high school program closures resulting from the after care programs cut. “High school students are often overlooked and underserved. They lack access to many support services,” she explained. “High school students are navigating significant life transitions and often grapple with considerable mental health challenges. These after care programs provide essential support during a critical developmental period.”
Bui’s organization also experienced a reduction of 15 SONYC slots out of the 50 they operate at a Catholic school, which she attributes to outdated enrollment data. Her organization now faces the arduous task of dedicating “double the time” to secure alternative funding sources, likely competing with numerous other organizations vying for the same limited pool of philanthropic resources to mitigate the impact of the after care programs cut. “Numerous organizations are undergoing the same process of seeking supplementary funding,” Bui noted.
Despite the challenges, Bui remains cautiously optimistic that the after care programs cut may be reversed. “The mayor recently demonstrated some ‘magical math’ by restoring some funding to the Department of Education,” she said, referencing the recent funding restorations. “Perhaps similar ‘magical math’ will occur soon, and these vital after care programs will be reinstated.”
