Massachusetts 2020’s mission is to expand educational and economic opportunities for children and families across Massachusetts.
Massachusetts 2020 was founded in 2000 by Chris Gabrieli, a civic and business entrepreneur, and Jennifer Davis, former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education and Executive Director of the Mayor of Boston’s 2:00-to-6:00 After-School Initiative. Massachusetts 2020’s initial efforts have focused on expanding after-school and summer learning opportunities for children across the Commonwealth. Our agenda for 2007 and beyond includes an increased focus on rethinking time and learning within the traditional school system.
Today, as has been the case since the founding of public education in America, children only spend 20% of their waking hours in school. The hours beyond the school day and year can be either filled with activities that promote learning and development or fraught with risk and lost opportunity. Massachusetts 2020 is dedicated to ensuring that these hours are ones of promise, not emptiness and danger, for all the children of Massachusetts.
To that end, Massachusetts 2020 has been a lead partner in launching several major initiatives including Boston’s After-School for All Partnership, the largest public-private partnership (over $26 million) dedicated to children in Boston’s history; the Keeping Kids on Track Statewide Campaign in partnership with the five largest United Way organizations in Massachusetts; the statewide Middle School Initiative in partnership with Citizen Schools and several private funders, the Transition to Success Pilot project, the School Sites Initiative working with Boston schools, the After-School Literacy Coaching Initiative in Boston; Partners for Student Success, now managed by Boston After School & Beyond, and the Expanded Learning Time Initiative.
To each of our endeavors, Massachusetts 2020 brings an entrepreneurial spirit willing to innovate and strategize to overcome the challenges facing children and families in Massachusetts. We have built a vibrant network of public and private collaborations and assembled a dedicated team of talented individuals who bring their diverse personal and professional backgrounds to implement our projects that lead us toward our goals.
