Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Parents rally to save nearly 250 NYC after-school programs facing cancellation
By
Jessica Gould
Published Jun 15, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Jessica Gould
By
Jessica Gould
Published Jun 15, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Parents and politicians are scrambling to restore nearly 250 popular after-school programs after the city announced a shift to new operators.
The free programs run by Manhattan Youth, Imani House, Hudson Guild and others include sports, arts, chess, academics, and more, and have operated at public schools for years.
City Council members said their offices have been flooded with emails from families distressed by the decision to switch providers. They said the city’s Department of Youth and Community Development had not given satisfactory responses about the reasons for the move.
City Council Speaker Julie Menin confirmed the decision to replace many schools’ longtime trusted providers was “draconian.”
”Given the broad support from parents and principals alike for Manhattan Youth and other providers, the decision not to award them the contract is creating both confusion and immense frustration,” she said.
She said councilmembers are especially concerned with an “opaque” contracting process.
Youth and Community Development officials said the shift is the result of the city’s first rebid of after-school contracts in a decade. It comes as the agency expands access to after-school by 10,000 slots – for a total of 103,000 seats for kids.
Officials said 70% of schools are sticking with their current providers, while 242 schools will change providers.
“The new awards reflect what young people and schools have consistently asked for: stronger social emotional learning, more hands-on enrichment, expanded career exploration, and programming that builds confidence, leadership, and real-world skills,” Youth and Community Development spokesperson Mark Zustovich said.
He said officials recognize parents feel uncertain about the transition.
“We respect those concerns because we know how meaningful trusted adults and strong after-school experiences are in the lives of young people,” he said, adding that the agency “will manage transitions thoughtfully and responsibly so that young people remain supported, families remain informed and programs begin strong in the fall.”
Free after-school programs are a lifeline for many working parents. In the heat of the mayor’s race last year, as childcare became a key plank in Zohran Mamdani’s platform, former Mayor Eric Adams promised to increase after-school seats.
Youth and Community Development officials said the process for assigning programs to schools had been revamped as part of a competitive rebid designed to “strengthen and expand” after-school programs.
Instead of principals signing agreements with providers as they had in the past, they were asked to rank their choices. Officials said the agency then evaluated proposals and assigned programs based on an assessment of providers’ experience, capacity and fiscal situation.
But providers said their programs are quite popular with families.
“We have a record, a history of running these programs,” said Manhattan Youth Executive Director Bob Townley. He said his nonprofit lost about half of its after-school contracts.
Providers at the rally also said the city pays all programs a flat per-pupil rate, so they didn’t think the shift was about saving money.
Last month, a coalition of PTA presidents representing roughly a dozen middle schools served by the popular program Manhattan Youth called on the Mamdani administration to reconsider the decision to shift providers.
They said Manhattan Youth has developed strong relationships with their schools, providing a wide range of after-school programs, including journalism, debate, chess, and sports.
“Middle school is an especially vulnerable and formative period,” they wrote. “After-school staff often serve as mentors, role models, coaches and stabilizing figures in students’ lives. Abruptly dismantling these established relationships risks undermining the trust, stability, and sense of belonging that students and families rely upon.”
They called the new process that assigned programs rushed and difficult to understand.
At the rally, Lisa Marks, a parent from Lab Middle School, said the loss of kids’ beloved athletic programs is particularly gutting against the backdrop of the Knicks' championship win.
”It's really soul-crushing in a horrible way that in two or three days we're gonna be celebrating the Knicks coming here for winning their championship, and at the same time, middle schoolers across Manhattan are having their sports ripped out of their schools,” she said.
Tagged
education
new york city
Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .