Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to see more after-school programs in the city’s middle schools.

He visited a middle school in the Bronx on Thursday to make the case for a tax increase to fund those programs along with universal pre-kindergarten.

De Blasio was joined by Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina at middle school 331, the Bronx School of Young Leaders.

He watched a group of young people in a dance program, talking to them about why they liked it.

De Blasio said after school programs were a powerful tool to keep middle school students engaged and involved, and also helped working parents by providing their children with safe places to be in the afternoons.

The tax increase de Blasio is pushing for has to be approved by the state.

(AP)