Research designed to share the latest findings, trends and knowledge with families, practitioners, lawmakers and funders.

Sustainability

Expanding Learning Time Through Supplemental Educational Services (pdf)
May 2007; Center for American Progress
This paper examines No Child Left Behind's accountability and school improvement provisions.  It proposes that expanded learning time be included as an allowable us of supplemental educational services funds to increase student learning and add a whole-school improvement strategy to a pot of money that is currently targeted to individual students.
(Abstract source: Center for American Progress)

“Sustaining 21st Century Community Learning Centers: What Works for Programs and How Policy Makers Can Help,”(pdf) is a new report from The Finance Project that synthesizes what we have learned through interviews with grantees and grant administrators.
 

Afterschool and Evaluation

Afterschool Programs:  Keeling Kids and Communities Safe (pdf)
April 2007; Afterschool Alliance
Rising violence among youth is a concern nationwide. After 14 years of decline, cities across the nation are reporting spike in crime rates, which many law enforcement officials attribute to decreased federal spending on crime prevention and more juveniles becoming involved in violent crimes.
(Abstract source: Excerpt from within text)

After-School Programs and Academic Impact: A Study of Chicago's After School Matters (html)
2007; Chapin Hall Center for Children
What impact can after-school programs have on the educational achievement of high school students?  A new study of Chicago's After School Matters (ASM) program - which offers paid internships in the arts, technology, sports, and communications to teenagers in some of the city's most underserved schools - finds a relationship between participating in after-school activities and higher class attendance, lower course failures and higher graduation rates.
(Abstract source:  Chapin Hall Center for Children)

Demographic Difference in Youth Out-of-School Time participation: A Research Summary (pdf)
2007; Harvard Family Research Project
This research summary synthesizes findings from two publications examining demographic differences in children's out-of-school time (OST) participation. We looked at differences in children's overall OST participation, in their participation over time, and in various dimensions of their participation, such as intensity and breadth of participation.  This summary presents key findings on differences in the multiple dimensions of participation in a range of OST activities among youth from varying family income levels and racial and ethnic groups.
(Abstract source: Harvard Family Research Project)

Findings from HFRP's Study of Predictors of Participation in Out-of-School Time Activities: Fact Sheet (pdf)
2007; Harvard Family Research Project
This Fact Sheet summarizes findings and implications from HFRP's recently completed Study of Predictors of Participation in out-of-school (OST) Activities.  With funding from the William T. Grant Foundation, we examined the child, family, school, and neighborhood predictors of children's participation in OST activities, paying special attention to disadvantages youth.  The Fact Sheet highlights key findings for OST practitioners and policymakers as they work to address issues of access and equity, document services gaps, and target resources accordingly.
(Abstract source; Harvard Family Research Project)

Improve Family Engagement in After-School Programs (html)
2007; PTA Magazine
Growing evidence tells us that parent involvement in after school programs can make a difference in children's lives, as well as benefit families, schools, and after school programs themselves.  This article by Ellen Mayer and Holly M. Kreider draws from research conducted by Harvard Family Research Project in partnership with Build the Out-of-School Time Network and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay.  It describes four strategies for engaging elementary school families in after school programs and provides examples of promising practices from family-focused programs serving ethnically diverse families.  The article also offers implications for parents and parent leaders as they select and design after school programs.  You can read the article, which was published in the National PTA's magazine Our Children.
(Abstract source; FINE Newsletter - February 2007)

The National Collaboration for Youth (NCY) is a coalition of the National Assembly member organizations that have a significant interest in youth development.  Members of the National Collaboration for Youth include fifty national, non-profit, youth development organizations.  The mission of NCY is to provide a united voice as advocates for youth to improve the conditions of young people in America, and to help young people reach their full potential.

A Good Time: Afterschool Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy (pdf). The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy provides detailed descriptions of afterschool programs that have been shown, through careful research, to have a positive impact on adolescent sexual behavior. In addition to providing results from program evaluations, the report contains practical information on the costs and availability of program curricula, and lengthy descriptions of what is covered in each curriculum.

Afterschool and Community Based Programs Research and Resources - A Compilation of research and resources on afterschool programs.

Afterschool Programs: Keeping Children Safe and Smart. Information and research on afterschool programs, the potential of programs, components of quality programs and community impact.

America’s Afterschool Choice: Juvenile Crime or Safe Learning Time. This Fight Crime: Invest in Kids report asserts that afterschool programs are proven to cut crime and reduce risky behavior.

Documenting Progress and Demonstrating Results: Evaluating Local Out-of-School Time Programs. This brief by Harvard Family Research Project and The Finance Project describes out-of-school time programs with the evaluation resources necessary for improvement, demonstration of results, and sustainability.

Highlights From the Out-of-School Time Database (pdf)
April 2007; Harvard Family Research Project
This Research Update synthesizes findings from the profiles of 15 research and evaluation reports added to the Out-of-School Time Program Research and Evaluation Database in December 2006. It highlights strategies for assessing program processes as well as key outcomes and features of programs that promote positive outcomes.
(Abstract source: Harvard Family Research Project)

Out-of-School Time Program Evaluation: Tools for Action. How do you know if your afterschool program is working and if it’s meeting the expectations of students, staff, parents and community partners? Through surveys, focus groups, and other data sources, administrators are able to gain valuable information.

Research and Policy News. Reports on how afterschool programs make a difference.

The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) Out-of-School Time (OST) Program Evaluation Database is a compilation of profiles written by HFRP of OST program and initiative evaluations. The database provides accessible information about evaluation work of both large and small OST programs to support the development of high-quality evaluations and programs in the out-of-school time field.

The Harvard Family Research Project. For more than 20 years, Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) has helped philanthropies, policymakers and practitioners develop strategies to promote the educational and social success and well-being of children, families, and their communities. HFRP’s Out-of-School Time (OST) Program Evaluation Database is a compilation of profiles written by HFRP of evaluations of OST programs and initiatives. The database provides accessible information about evaluation work of both large and small OST programs to support the development of high quality evaluations and programs in the out-of-school time field.

The National Institute on Out-of-School Time. This institute focuses on research, policy and practice in an effort to ensure that all children, youth, and families have access to high-quality programs, activities, and opportunities during non-school hours.

Making the Case: A Fact Sheet on Children and Youth in Out-of-School Time. (pdf)

Research Brief on Promising Practices in Community-Based Organization Afterschool Program and School Partnerships. (pdf)

Surveys and Polls

Voters want increased funding for afterschool programs (pdf). According to a poll conducted before and during the November mid-term elections, voters from all across the political landscape recognize the important role afterschool programs play in creating a sustainable future

 
Research in Quality Improvement

Building Quality Improvement Systems:  Lessons from Three Emerging Efforts in the Youth-Serving Sector (pdf)
March 2007; Child Trends
Quality is fast becoming a policy priority in states and localities around the country. As a result, formal and informal networks of youth organizations are seeking and developing strategies to help them assess and improve performance. This report takes a close look at efforts underway in three networks and provides a preliminary framework for thinking about key questions when planning any kind of program quality improvement work in the youth-serving sector.
(Abstract source: Forum for Youth Investment)

Measuring Youth Program Quality:  A Guide to Assessment Tools (pdf)
March 2007; Forum for Youth Investment
Thanks to growing interest in the subject of youth program quality, many tools are now available to help organizations and systems assess and improve quality.  Given the size and diversity of the youth-serving sector, it is unrealistic to expect that any one tool or process will fit all programs or circumstances.  This report compares the purpose, history, structure, methodology, content and technical properties of nine different program observation tools.
(Abstract source: Forum for Youth Investment)

Quality Time After School:  What Instructors Can Do to Enhance Learning (pdf)
2007; Public/Private Ventures
Improving the quality of out-of-school time activities and creating effective learning environments is of keen interest to practitioners, funders and policymakers.  Funded by The William Penn Foundation, Quality Time After School identifies characteristics of after-school activities that are linked to youth engagement and learning across a rich diversity of out-of-school-time activity areas.
(Abstract source: Public/Private Ventures)

Improving After-School Program Quality
April 2007; William T. Grant Foundation
A new William T. Grant Foundation paper recommends next steps to improve after-school programs - specifically, the field must learn how to intervene effectively.  The authors examine new information on what works, and how this information affects accountability and which outcomes to measure.
(Abstract source:  CFK Weekly - April 25, 2007)

Getting It Right: Strategies for Afterschool Success. Ten years of findings from Public/Private Ventures, and other research on creating programs that produce specific, policy-relevant outcomes. The report explores effective recruitment strategies and qualities that make activities engaging and encourage regular attendance, as well as the importance of staffing, management and activity monitoring. It includes information on how program administrators can maximize their budget potential while enhancing services.

High/Scope Youth Program Quality Assessment. A set of best practice standards that guide program improvement as well as answer critical questions for researchers and program evaluators. Youth PQA - Program Quality Assessment.

Shared Features of High-Performing Afterschool Programs: A Follow-Up to the TASC (pdf). This study conducted by Policy Studies Associates for The After-School Corporation (TASC) and the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) finds that afterschool programs can contribute to increased student achievement, and that programs that helped lead to improved achievement do not necessarily focus on academics. Successful programs included a variety of arts, recreation, and literacy activities and allowed the students free time
as well. The study focused on 10 high-performing TASC-supported
after-school programs in New York City.