Why It Matters
Massachusetts students spend more than three-quarters of their waking hours outside of traditional school settings, yet state public funding for out-of-school learning programs amounts to just $13 per child annually. Education advocates argue this funding gap leaves a significant portion of students’ developmental time unsupported, with measurable consequences for academic outcomes, workforce readiness, and economic equity across the state.
The push to expand investment in summer and after-school programming comes as Massachusetts lawmakers weigh education budget priorities for the coming fiscal year, making the debate over out-of-school learning a timely and consequential policy question.
What Happened
Education advocates Chris Smith and Paul Reville published a detailed call to action in Commonwealth Beacon on March 28, 2026, urging Massachusetts to substantially increase state funding for summer learning programs and after-school activities. Reville, a former Massachusetts Secretary of Education, and Smith argue that the state’s current investment fails to reflect the amount of time students spend outside the classroom.
The authors frame their argument around what they call the “80 percent” — a reference to the estimated share of a child’s waking hours spent outside of school over the course of a year. Their position is that public education funding structures have historically concentrated resources almost exclusively on in-school hours, leaving the majority of a child’s time largely unsupported by public investment.
The piece is addressed to state legislators and education policymakers in Massachusetts and calls for a structural reexamination of how the Commonwealth allocates education dollars, with specific emphasis on closing the gap between school-based and out-of-school program funding.
By the Numbers
- $13 — Current annual per-child public funding for out-of-school activities in Massachusetts
- 80 percent — Estimated share of a child’s waking hours spent outside of school over the course of a year
- Roughly 900,000 — Approximate number of K–12 students enrolled in Massachusetts public schools, meaning the funding gap affects a large and diverse statewide population
- $1 billion+ — The scale of federal pandemic-era relief funds, including those from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program, that temporarily expanded access to supplemental learning programs nationally, funding that has now largely expired
- 2026 — The year of the current Massachusetts budget cycle in which advocates are pressing for new appropriations targeting out-of-school learning
Zoom Out
Massachusetts is not alone in confronting this challenge. Across the United States, the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funding for K–12 education has prompted states to reassess how they support learning beyond the traditional school day and school year. Programs funded through ESSER grants — which supported tutoring, summer school, and extended learning opportunities — began winding down in 2024, leaving many districts scrambling to sustain initiatives that had shown measurable gains in student achievement.
States including California, Connecticut, and New York have moved to establish dedicated state funding streams for after-school and summer learning, citing research linking participation in structured out-of-school programs to improved graduation rates, reduced juvenile crime, and stronger workforce outcomes. National advocacy organizations such as the Afterschool Alliance have reported persistent demand for programs that consistently outpaces available supply, particularly in lower-income communities.
In Massachusetts, the argument for expanded investment also intersects with ongoing debates about educational equity. Access to high-quality summer programs and after-school enrichment has historically been uneven, with students in wealthier districts or families more able to privately fund such opportunities.
What’s Next
The immediate next step is the Massachusetts state budget process. Advocates are expected to press members of the House and Senate Ways and Means committees to include dedicated line items for out-of-school learning in the fiscal year 2027 budget proposal. Governor Maura Healey’s administration has previously signaled support for expanded educational opportunity programs, though specific funding commitments for summer and after-school initiatives have not yet been formally announced.
Advocacy organizations are also expected to mobilize school districts, parents, and community-based program providers to testify in support of increased appropriations during upcoming public budget hearings. Whether the Legislature takes action this session will depend in part on broader fiscal pressures facing the state, including healthcare costs and transportation infrastructure demands competing for available revenue.