Nashville Mayor Dean Develops Afterschool Programs in Public Schools
August 11, 2008
Nashville Mayor Dean Develops Afterschool Programs in Public Schools
Nashville Mayor Karl Dean is leading the charge to develop a coordinated system of afterschool programs for middle school students in Metro Nashville Public Schools.
Dean responded to the recommendations of Project for Student Success, a task force convened by the mayor to identify ways to reduce the number of students that drop out of Metro schools.
“A student doesn’t just wake up one day and decide not to go back to school. It’s clear from the work of the task force and other research in this area that the path to dropping out can start as early as elementary and middle school. Providing afterschool programs that are accessible to all students, especially students identified as at-risk of dropping out, is a proven way to intervene in those students’ lives and provide the support they need to stay in school and be successful,” Dean said.
The task force recommended providing access to quality afterschool programs as one way to address the impact of community and neighborhood risk factors. The task force found that such programs are particularly lacking for middle and high school students, and that the programs are most effective when introduced during the middle school years.
In response, Dean has begun work on creating “afterschool zones” for middle school students, a coordinated network of existing programs with consistent standards on the types of services provided. A pilot afterschool zone will be launched in one school cluster during the fall semester this year. Nashville will then work to expand the coordination throughout the school district.
A framework for the afterschool zone programs needs to be developed, along with identifying gaps in services where additional afterschool programs are needed. Ways to remove barriers to student participation in afterschool programs, such as lack of transportation, also need to be addressed. Dean has formed a working group, made up of nonprofit and community leaders, to take on these tasks.
Dean said coordinating afterschool programs is one recommendation from Project for Student Success out of several that have led to or confirmed initiatives already underway.“As the task force recommendations have developed over the last several months, our office and MNPS have been moving forward on a number of ideas and opportunities that surfaced during their research,” Dean said. “I expect during the next months and year that the recommendations will continue to facilitate a number of positive changes in our schools and our community.”
Recommendations related to existing initiatives include:
Improve Attendance / Assist At-Risk Students: Dean included funding in the 2008-2009 operating budget for an attendance center to be run by Juvenile Court, which will provide ongoing services and support for students who are likely to be at risk of dropping out because of their high truancy rate;
Reduce Out-of'school Suspension: The School Board recently approved contracting with the Ombudsman program, which will provide students in out-of'school suspension with an alternative location to continue their classes rather than staying home;
Professional Development: A dedication ceremony for the Martin Professional Development Center was scheduled July 2. Dean is also in the process of recruiting the Teach for America program to Nashville, which provides young college graduates with the unique skills needed to teach in an urban school system; and
Re-engage and Recover Disengaged Youth: Dean announced during his recent State of Metro Address that Nashville has been selected to participate in the Alternative High School Initiative, which offers, among other programs, an alternative high school option targeted at recovering students who have already dropped out of school or are far behind in credits for their age.
For media inquiries contact Janel Lacy at 615-862-6020 or janel.lacy@nashville.gov
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