Quality
After-School Grows Up: How Four Large American Cities Approach Scale and Quality in After-School Programs
This report to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation looks into the after-school programs in four American cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Diego, to see how they handle quality and going to scale. Overviews of the programs and challenges are presented followed by studies on each individual program and discussion about the need for expansion. October 2004.
Critical Hours: After School Programs and Educational Success
Dr. Beth Miller, commissioned by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, documents the value of after-school programs on student's in-school performance in this 2003 research paper. Dr. Miller's analysis is intended to serve as a resource to anyone interested in knowing why and how after–school programs work, stimulate dialogue among parents, educators, policymakers, and public officials and help providers think about ways to improve their program models.
The Effectiveness of Out-of-School Time Strategies in Assisting Low-Achieving Students in Reading and Mathematics: A Research Synthesis
This study by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) sought to determine the effectiveness of OST programs in helping low-achieving students in math or reading. It includes a review of the literature and a synthesis of existing studies on the subject. Commonalities and differences among program approaches to academic support were noted. The study also provides suggestions for future policy and practice for programs with academic support components.
Enhancing Literacy Support in After School Programs
In this 2002 report, Boston Plan for Excellence makes the case for enhancing literacy support in after-school programs by depicting the role and importance of literacy in a child’s educational development, exploring effective local and national models of literacy support, reviewing literacy instruction in Boston Public Schools and visiting the implications and challenges for literacy instruction in Boston’s after-school programs.
Getting it Right: Strategies for After-School Success
This report outlines the necessary elements for success in after-school programs. It begins by describing the process of involving youth in after-school including recruitment, targeting populations, and oversubscription. The authors illustrate programmatic elements such as activity opportunities, environment, management and staffing. Finally, they discuss coordination of these elements to build a successful program. September 2005
Pathways to Success for Youth: What Counts in After-School
The purpose of the Massachusetts Afterschool Research Study (MARS) by INCRE and NIOST was to explain relationships between program goals and practices and youth outcomes in after-school programs. The goals of the study were to identify characteristics of high quality programs and examine the influence of quality on results for participants. The MARS identified five key quality elements including staff-youth engagement, youth engagement, challenging activities, time for homework and program relationships with families. The study offers lessons learned for program providers, funders, and policy makers. November 2005.
Providence After-School Quality Standards
This brochure by the Providence After School Alliance outlines the Providence after-school quality standards related to health, safety, environment, relationships, programming, and activities.
