About Us

The Middle School Initiative (MSI), an innovative public-private partnership to expand after-school learning opportunities for children across Massachusetts was launched by Massachusetts 2020 in September 2002. Designed to expand the nationally recognized Citizen Schools after-school program model to communities throughout the commonwealth, the goals of the MSI were to:

• Expand high quality, academically based after-school opportunities for underserved middle-school students;
• Build school capacity and commitment to quality out-of-school time programming;
• Create community enthusiasm and investment in the expansion of out-of-school time programs; and
• Serve as an important component of a broader set of work taking place to develop a statewide system of after-school programming in Massachusetts.

Initiative Design

The MSI currently operates eight programs in five Massachusetts communities that together will serve as many as 2,500 middle school students by 2007. All communities selected for the MSI have: high numbers of academically at-risk students and a significant need for out-of-school time programming; municipal, school, and community leadership committed to this issue and project; and the organizational and leadership capacity to launch and sustain the initiative.
Each community has developed at least one site where the Citizen Schools model has taken root. The Citizen Schools model complements in-school learning with academic and project-based after-school curriculum for students in grades 5-8. The Citizen Schools program offers: apprenticeships taught by community volunteers; explorations that expose students to their community; focused time for homework completion; and team building activities.

Funding and Oversight

The MSI is based on a public-private partnership model. It relies upon a mixed-funding strategy to leverage public and private resources at the local, state and federal level in order to create a broad base of “investors” who hold a stake in its growth and sustainability. This partnership has brought significant new resources to after-school programming and  ensures a high quality program supported by civic leaders, government officials, non-profit organizations, parents and educators.

Significant financial support for the Middle School Initiative comes from: the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, the Lloyd G. Balfour Foundation, Massachusetts 2020 Foundation, the Amelia Peabody Foundation and United Way organizations. Additional local resources are contributed by communities selected for the Middle School Initiative.
Impact

Massachusetts 2020 has established a network of supporters in each community, bringing public and private resources together for a sustainable solution to after-school needs. A broad group of stakeholders engaged in the success of the initiative include community-based providers, mayors, city councilors, school committee members, school superintendents, school principals, United Way organizations, business leaders, and other champions committed to supporting the education and success of young people.

Grantees