Schools and communities are finding new ways to provide students with quality learning opportunities outside the traditional school day. Statistics reveal that as many as 5 million children may be left alone at home each week while parents work. Before- and afterschool programs, summer learning activities, and mentoring and tutoring efforts are…

Noting the renewed attention given to community efforts supporting after-school activities to promote social competence in its youth, this book examines the concepts of play and rites of passage for youth. The book also discusses the contributions of various types of activities on youth social competency, presents a variety of perspectives for…

In response to growing public understanding of the importance of quality care and activities during out-of-school hours for children's healthy development, a variety of out-of-school initiatives are being implemented across the country. This guide is designed to provide policy makers, program leaders, system-building advocates, and others with…

This document is comprised of two papers providing resources for after-school programs and additional information available from the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP). The first paper, "Organizations in Out-of-School Time: An Introduction," reviews the national, state, and local organizations active in the field of out-of-school time, grouped…

This study examined the effect of a specialized after-school program, the Services to Youth Program (STYP), as one method of preventing the reoccurrence of criminal activity among delinquent youth. Seven African American youth who actively participated in the structured, curriculum-based after-school program were compared with a matched group of…

Although afterschool programs for children have been operating for many years in some communities, the afterschool movement, the great national awakening to the opportunity afterschool offers, is just a few years old. As public demand for afterschool has grown, so also has the demand for accountability. That is particularly true in programs…

When children fall behind in a content area or areas, there may not be sufficient time in the school day to offer the remedial instruction necessary to get them up to speed. One potential solution for making up this deficit is out-of-school time, or OST, programs. The "supplemental services" provision of the No Child Left Behind Act requires that…

Five-to nine-year-olds engage in an after school program designed to develop their cognitive skills. (AJ)

By altering the school schedule, one English school has made room at the end of the day for a special activities period during which eleven to fourteen year olds participate in extracurricular activities, private study, or special elective courses. Pupils' reactions to the scheme are noted. (SJL)

An art teacher at an inner city elementary school has found that his young students are eager to join his after-school art club and to tackle the difficult processes of etching and printmaking. This article describes the program's printmaking procedures and facilities. (SJL)

In Las Milpas, a south Texas colonia, 39 children aged 7-12 participated for at least 6 months in an after-school health promotion program that included activities related to communication skills, behavior self-management, and cultural appreciation. Compared to a nonparticipant control group, participating children had higher self-esteem and more…

Tested the effectiveness of a community-based intervention designed to promote physical activity among rural fifth graders. Data on students who participated in after-school and summer programs and home, school, and community interventions indicated that the after-school and summer interventions were implemented as planned, but the home, school,…

Documents the rapid expansion of after-school programs and emphasizes the importance of program quality. Identifies the characteristics of quality programs and offers four "principles for principals" for those who wish to introduce or improve after-school programs in their schools. (Author/MLF)

Notes that the Title I Program at the Upper Darby School District (located on the western boarder of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) created the T.O.A.S.T. (Title One After School Tutorial) program from the need for extended learning time and opportunities to assist struggling young readers. Concludes that students increased their sight word…