Brooklyn, NY – Councilmembers Save After-school Programs For Yeshiva Students

Brooklyn, NY – Councilmembers David G. Greenfield, Steve Levin, and Lew Fidler have been fighting to prevent a change in city policy that would have prevented dozens of Yeshivas from providing after-school programming for their students. The policy change, which would have restricted the number of schools eligible for after-school program grants, was scrapped due to a recent agreement between the council members and the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD).

Last month, the DYCD called for organizations from around the city to submit formal proposals for after-school programming for elementary and middle school students under its Out-of-School Time (OST) program. The program, which was instituted in 2005, is one of the largest after-school systems in the country and provides over $70 million to after-school programs operated by schools, community centers, NYCHA, and the Parks Department. The Request for Proposals (RFP) issued this year for OST was similar to the editions from previous years, with the notable difference that it included language that made it more difficult for private schools to apply for funding, stating “private schools may submit proposals provided the proposed programs would be located at schools they do not operate and with which they are not affiliated.”

Both Councilman Greenfield and Councilman Levin shared their concern with Councilman Lew Fidler, Chair of the City Council Youth Services Committee, that the change would restrict Yeshivas in their districts from providing young people with accessible and safe places to go after the school day. At Councilman Fidler’s urging, the DYCD issued an addendum to the original RFP striking the language that would have prohibited non-public schools from hosting after-school programs within their buildings, saving after-school programs for thousands of students.

“I am relieved that the DYCD agreed to abandon this policy change and to maintain equal access to after-school programs for both public and private school students,” Councilman Greenfield remarked. “Having a safe place to go after the school day is over shouldn’t depend on whether you choose to attend a religious school.”

Councilman Fidler added, “Access to after school programming should not be restricted so as to exclude children in yeshivot and parochial schools. When Council Members Greenfield and Levin informed me of the policy change, I took the issue directly to the Commissioner. I am glad that she saw our point and made the change.”