Afterschool programs are increasingly recognized as valuable opportunities for learning that can create social capital, expose students to topics of interest, and build personal identities. Yet poor policies and ineffective practices driven by outdated ideals abound, including an emphasis on the caregiving function of afterschool programs for…

For the past three years, SELF (Sports, Education, Life Skills, and Faith) has focused on improving academic, behavioral, and social skills of students at Key, Revere, and Meyerland middle schools in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Tutorials, an essay contest, character-building lessons, sports, a high-school bridge program, and…

This article presents the results of the 2nd-year evaluation of an after-school program designed for an extended school day program serving African American middle school students in the city of Baltimore, Maryland (ACCESS-West). This study describes the effects of schoolwide reform especially as it relates to single-gender schools, educating…

A significant volume of research demonstrates that out-of-school learning activities enhance student development in terms of cognitive, affective and social outcomes. However, there is also evidence that the opportunity to engage in these activities has been severely reduced in recent years. This paper explores the extent to which the provision of…

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between student behaviors and the growth of mathematical ideas (using the Pirie-Kieren model). This analysis was accomplished through a series of case studies, involving middle school students of varying ability levels, who were investigating a combinatorics problem in after-school…

This report reviews the current research and literature on Out of School Time (OST) programs especially with regard to their effectiveness. It also explores the range of OST programs and activities as employed by the various youth-serving sectors; considers the untapped possibilities of OST programs to meet the needs of young people, including…

Out-of-school time (OST) programs have taken on a new importance in recent years because of changes in society. This paper examines OST programming and suggests reasons and mechanisms for integrating outcomes and research into program design. It explains and promotes the integration of outcomes and research into program development, provides…

An urban, federally funded after-school program for children ages 6-13 was evaluated. Program children were compared to control children with respect to social skills, self-esteem, school achievement, and congruence between parent and child ratings. Multivariate statistical analyses indicated that program children surpassed controls in all but the…

The rapid growth of high school clubs, the important educational functions in which they engage, and the close relationship they bear to the work of the school have given them a place of first importance among the school organizations carrying on extracurricular activities. Such clubs are a means of closing up the educational gap resulting from…