District/School Administration Administration
The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

Report on the Massachusetts Special Commission on After-School and Out-of-School Time

I am pleased that Representative Marie St. Fleur and Senator Thomas McGee will join us at the December meeting to share with us the work and recommendations of the Special Commission on After-School and Out-of-School Time. Representative St. Fleur and Senator McGee were co-chairs of this Special Commission.

The Massachusetts Legislature created the Special Commission to understand better the impact of after-school and out-of-school time programs in the daily lives of many of the Commonwealth's school age children and youth. The 36-member Commission, established in March of 2007, was asked to "study and recommend how to define and better coordinate, expand, finance, and improve accessible, affordable, and quality out-of-school time programming for school age children in all settings in Massachusetts."

The Special Commission conducted 10 hearings and site visits throughout the Commonwealth and held numerous Commission work sessions and meetings. Commissioner Ann Reale and Associate Commissioner Carole Thomson represented the Department of Early Education and Care and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on the Commission.

Enclosed with your materials is the Special Commission's November 2007 Executive Summary entitled "Our Common Wealth: Building a Future for Our Children and Youth ."