City Leaders: We All Must Collaborate for Afterschool Services

The op-ed by three mayors and two city council members will resonate with anyone carrying out Ready by 21 strategies - which should be no surprise, considering that one of the authors is Ronnie Steine, co-chair of the Ready by 21 Leadership Council.

"City leaders must work together with schools, parents and others to help young people thrive, with a shared understanding that their success will determine the success of our cities," they write in Education Week. "Maximizing the afterschool hours is one important way in which city governments can improve educational outcomes for children and teenagers and reinforce what they learn in the classroom."

Read the op-ed, which summarizes specific city efforts, here. Read short stories about how leaders in Nashville (Steine's city) built a big-picture action plan and engaged youth in community change efforts, and about how afterschool providers in Asheville, N.C., are improving program quality.