This week, more than 111,000 New York City students are beginning free after-school programming through the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s expanded COMPASS system, including more than 13,000 new seats.

In addition to giving more children access to high-quality programming after the final bell, this expansion gives the city an important tool to achieve one of its education priorities: reducing chronic absenteeism.

Data from the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative, which funds out-of-school-time programs such as after-school, shows that among students who had attended school 90% of the time or less during the prior year, nearly six in ten improved their attendance while participating in its programs.

Understanding how after-school programs can support better attendance is critical, especially in New York City, where about one in three public school students missed 10% or more of the school year in 2024–25.

At New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL), one of the nonprofit after-school providers contracted by DYCD, we see that school-based afterschool experiences can increase students’ sense of belonging.

Three years ago, a Bronx third grader was hesitant to come to school because she had to walk home alone. She was at risk of becoming chronically absent. That changed when she enrolled in our ACES after-school program.

She met friends who walked home with her at the end of the day and ACES coaches, tutors and social workers who took the time to get to know her. Today, she is a thriving sixth grader with an exemplary attendance record.

ACES serves more than 3,000 students at 33 public schools, including 11 in the Bronx, through academic enrichment, tennis instruction, and social-emotional development.

Principals say that students look forward to ACES each day, giving them another reason to come back the next morning. We often see progress trace back to a trusted adult who makes a young person feel their presence matters.

Research on school climate backs this up, showing that strong relationships with trusted adults, as well as peers, are associated with regular attendance. Teachers can serve that role, but the school day is structured around instruction. After-school staff members have unique opportunities to get to know young people, and students are more likely to let their guard down outside of the more formal school-day setting.

Those relationships help staff spot problems early and understand what may be keeping a student from coming to school.

After-school programs are also where many families become comfortable inside a school building. After-school providers, including NYJTL, hold events for families where we build relationships with parents and caregivers, enabling us to help schools better understand what families need to support regular attendance.

With the city’s investment in after-school programs, there are now nearly 1,000 programs across all five boroughs. To fully leverage this citywide network’s power to fight chronic absenteeism, afterschool providers and schools must coordinate more closely on attendance-related issues and support for at-risk students.

This can include regular communication between program staff and school attendance teams, processes for flagging emerging concerns, and coordinated outreach to families.

In tennis, improvement starts with showing up on the court. Education works the same way. Before curriculum can take hold, students first must walk through the school doors. After-school programs can give them a reason to keep coming back.

Udai Tambar is the president and CEO of New York Junior Tennis and Learning.