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RBconrvtENDATroNS
Based on the findings and conclusions from this study, the Community Advisory
Committee to this study makes the following recommendations:
A topJevel After-School Commission composed of respected and influential
leaders representing government, the professions, and business should be
created to advance a public policy agenda at local and state levels and create
a plan for a comprehensive and coordinated system that ensures that 5-12-
year-old children, including those with disabilities, have access to nonschoolhour
services as needed.
The agenda for such a Commission should include the following issues:
Canacitv Buildins
The commission should develop a plan to increase the capacity of nonschoolhour
care in terms of space, staff,
and funding and integrate such
services into a coordinated system.
Specifïcally:
. The Commission should determine
an estimate of the number
of children needing different
kinds and hours of care and the
capacity of schools and agencies
to provide it, and it should
determine the extent of need for
services at odd hours and on
"nonschool" days (e.g., inservice
and snow days) as well as
for specialized services for
children who are sick and for
children with disabilities. The
gap between need and current
availability of services should
guide the capacity-building plan.
The top-level Conunissíon would a.eole
guidelines for recommended practìces for
nonscltool-l¿our programs. These guídelínes
woultl ensure that suclt progranntíng
ís of high quality, respects pørerrtctl choices,
ìncludes an appropríate mix of academic
and socíal actívities, provides for accountabílíty
and monílorìng attd encourages
flexibìlìty of lrcurs -
for etnployees and theír
cltíldren so that benefits front center
progranuning can be nnximized.