Many children served in afterschool programs would be left alone in dangerous neighborhoods, potentially engaging in risky sexual and criminal behaviors, if not for their participation in structured programming. In fact, research has shown that students who spend the majority of their afterschool hours in unsupervised activities are more likely to…

This document reports on physical activity and nutrition curriculum choices for afterschool programs, linking with the National Afterschool Association Program Standards. This project was stimulated by the national concern for child and youth obesity and the valuable role out-of-school time programs can fulfill in helping to address the crisis.…

This paper reviews literature on the growth in after-school programs, reasons for their growth, and what these programs hope to accomplish It also addresses what is known about what works, program costs, and implications for policy. Overall, the forces behind increased funding and activity in after-school programs could be characterized in two…

The After-School Alliance assessed the impact of a $400 million cut to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program proposed by President George W. Bush for fiscal year 2004. The assessment determined the effect the proposed cut would have on the availability of after-school programs in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.…

After-school or out-of-school programs offer additional social, academic, and extracurricular activities and experiences to supplement the regular school day. College preparation programs offer activities that are designed to enable youth to prepare for a variety of college-related tasks, with services including test preparation, academic…

This skill packet presents training information on extended opportunities for student learning (before- and after-school programs, extended time, or extended school programs). The packet offers implementation suggestions, such as explaining what skills trainers need, how to prepare for delivering the packet, tips for working with adults, how to…

This paper describes Georgia's Reading Challenge, whose goal is to provide a quality after-school reading program for students in grades four through eight with opportunities to improve reading skills and enhance their interest in reading. Sections of the paper describe the goals of the Reading Challenge; general information; responsibilities of…

A collaborative publication between Harvard Family Research Project and The Finance Project, this brief offers guidance in documenting progress and demonstrating results in local out-of-school-time programs. Following introductory remarks providing a rationale for program evaluation, discussing principles of program evaluation, and clarifying key…

Noting that the after-school hours are peak hours for Illinois juveniles to be either victims of crime or involved in criminal activity, this report provides evidence that making quality after-school programs available to all youth who need them will reduce crime and provide constructive activities for youth. The report details statistics on…

Noting that the past decade has seen a rapid increase in the number of out-of-school time and community school initiatives and that finding funding for these initiatives remains a challenge to their success, this strategy brief discusses the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) as an important long-term source of funding. The brief provides an…

Noting that out-of-school time and community school initiatives are operating in a rapidly changing policy context and that tobacco settlement funds provide a flexible, significant inflow of new state revenue, this strategy brief provides policymakers, community leaders, and program developers with background information on the tobacco settlement…

This report details a case study of the Tutor-Mentor Connection (T/MC), an organization designed to build infrastructures to expand and improve after-school tutoring and mentoring opportunities for inner-city children in Chicago. The case study was conducted over a 3-month period in 1997 and was intended as a limited exploration of one model for…

This paper examines the overall process of implementing participatory evaluation methods in a nonparticipatory, nondemocratic environment. The paper is based on a 1-year evaluation of an after-school literacy program and is part of a larger effort to bring participatory evaluation to the grantees of a foundation. The evaluation occurred with an…

School-age children ages 5 through 12 years spend their out-of-school time in many different types of arrangements. In addition to parental care, these include relative care, non-relative care (either in their own or another family's home), center- or school-based programs, sports and extracurricular activities, summer activities, and self-care.…

Author defines outdoor education as uniting field work in the natural sciences with leisure pursuits which have educational benefits; he discusses the value and hazards of an outdoor education program. (SP)