Reason Foundation

Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants private operators to run New York City's after-school programs. Schools' According to a budget document, Chancellor Joel Klein says the city plans to "outsource all of its after-school activities to an outside community-based organization. " The New York Post reports that education officials said the plan could save $12 million in overtime and other costs. Not-for-profit organizations already manage hundreds of after-school programs, but school officials run many others. Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott noted that after-school programs receive funds from three separate city agencies: the Department of Education, Youth Services, and Children's Services. New York's budget crisis provides an opportunity to streamline costs and consolidate duplicative programs. Private after-school programs can also benefit from matching private funds from philanthropists, including financier George Soros and The After-School Corporation.