Advancing Policy to Support Afterschool
MAP’s geographic focus is statewide with a special emphasis on supporting cities and towns with historically and currently marginalized groups, including quite intentionally the UWMBMV’s 12 focus communities. Through statewide advocacy and professional development, MAP is dedicated to ensuring stakeholders in communities across the state have a voice in the policymaking process. From Pittsfield to Lawrence and south to the Cape and Islands, MAP has a hands-on approach in communities to explore opportunities so that more young people, especially youth of color, have access to quality afterschool and summer programs.
MAP works across Massachusetts to form a shared commitment to systems change and collaboration that leverages the expertise of diverse partners in cities and towns. By working with community members, businesses, nonprofits, and policy makers in towns across Massachusetts, we create an exchange of ideas that increase access to high-quality afterschool programs and support economic justice for working families by allowing them to remain at works.
Advocacy for OST Toolkit
Want to advocate for your OST program but not sure where to start? Check out MAP’s advocacy for OST toolkit here!
Afterschool Budget Asks 2024
Massachusetts is currently in the midst of its budgeting process for FY25. Click the image to the right to view MAP’s one-pager on budget asks to support afterschool and summer learning in the coming year.
Policy Priorities 2024
Cannabis Tax Revenue
On November 8th, 2016, Massachusetts voted to legalize recreational marijuana use and sales. Since then, the state government and local municipalities have created policies that impose taxes on cannabis sales. Recently, shops selling cannabis have begun to acquire licenses and open. As a result, the Commonwealth has created a new tax revenue stream and the question becomes, what should be done with these new dollars? What about the expansion of programs that are proven to mitigate rates of drug misuse? What about funding programs that build protective factors that keep young people safe? What about creating programs that over 300,000 high need students in Massachusetts deserve access to? What about Afterschool?
MAP presented on S.255, An act relative to access for after school and out-of-school time programs petitioned by Senator Crighton, before the Afterschool Caucus. Read more below!
ASOST Line Item
Massachusetts is one of few states throughout the country that has a line-item dedicated specifically to afterschool and summer learning programs. The goal of this state funded (line item 7061-9611) competitive grant program under Fund Codes 528-530 is to enhance the quality of and increase access to afterschool and out-of-school time (ASOST) programs in order to improve the academic, physical, social, and emotional wellness of school-age youth during the school year and the summer months.
Get involved!
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Local Listening Sessions
In order to inform our policy priorities, MAP is working with cities, towns, and regions across Massachusetts to host listening sessions. Our next session will be in Worcester in late October 2023. For more information, email us below!
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Statewide Monthly Calls
MAP is hosting monthly policy and practice calls to share information with and learn from the field. Click below to RSVP for our next session on January 31st! This MARs call will focus on the upcoming state budget season.
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Afterschool Caucus
Ask your legislators to join the Afterschool Caucus today!