Dear Citizen Schools Community,
At the start of this new year and the close of our 30th anniversary year, Citizen Schools continues to celebrate our community as we prepare for our next chapter.
When Citizen Schools was founded in 1995, it was built on a simple but powerful belief: young people thrive when their learning is connected to real people, real experiences, and real possibilities. For over three decades, that belief has guided our mission and shaped the lives of 50,000 students, 17,000 volunteers, 650 educators and over 2,000 Americorps Service members, helping young people discover their strengths and see themselves in future careers and communities where they belong.
Citizen Schools has always adapted to meet the moment and the needs of young people and the schools that serve them. We began as an after-school program, evolved to an extended day model, and over the last decade have brought the powerful experiential learning we pioneered in the afternoon into the core school day. Today, we find ourselves at another inflection point — one that calls for clarity and care.
Over the next six months, Citizen Schools will begin winding down its current programmatic operations, concluding on June 30, 2026.
This decision was not made lightly. After a thorough assessment of our current model and the conditions required for it to thrive, we determined that continuing our existing approach is no longer sustainable.
A combination of factors — including uncertainty around AmeriCorps, challenges recruiting Fellows in a highly competitive labor market, and shifting school and district priorities — made it clear that we cannot sustainably deliver the level of consistency and impact that Citizen Schools is committed to and that students and partners deserve.
Our priority in the coming months is to continue delivering our program to the highest quality, in partnership with our school partners in Massachusetts and New York City.
We will share more in the coming months about the future of Citizen Schools, and ways you can continue to stay connected with our community.In celebration of all that we have accomplished and optimism for what we will continue to accomplish for students and schools and communities across the country:
Thank you for being part of the Citizen Schools family. We look forward to staying in touch with you.
With gratitude,
Nadia K. Selby, CEO
Bing Howell, Board Chair