This special "America After 3PM" report takes a closer look at the afterschool experiences of children and families living in rural communities and compares these experiences to those of children and families outside of rural communities. This report also serves to examine the ways programs are increasing opportunity in these…

Locally or individually, STEM programs provide additional opportunities to engage K-12 students, including those from marginalized groups, with the support of STEM outreach organizations through the co-construction and implementation of STEM activities during school, out of school, at home, and in the community. Research suggests that…

We explore whether (a) teacher ratings of texts' cultural relevance along various dimensions differ from those of students, (b) these ratings reflect a single construct, and (c) ratings of specific dimensions are related to specific reading outcomes. Fifty African-American students were each administered two text protocols for a total of 100…

Afterschool interventions in STEM are linked to learning gains during the school day. These opportunities engage and excite students about STEM concepts since they observe a more hands-on, project-oriented approach. Often these opportunities for afterschool interventions are infrequent in nature and leave gaps for students in their maturation and…

This report examines the relationship between participation in the Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE) and student academic outcomes at the 16 Cycle 8 ACE campuses. Students' years of participation in ACE was positively associated with better student outcomes. Specifically, those with more years of ACE participation had better STAAR passing…

Child inactivity, overweightness, and obesity are recognized problems in the United States. Despite characterization as an "epidemic," children continue to fall short in meeting physical activity recommendations necessary to maintain proper health. Relevant literature indicates that after-school programs (ASPs) are viable options for…

The Department of Workforce Services (DWS) asked the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) to provide a longitudinal perspective on progress toward education outcomes for students experiencing intergenerational poverty (IGP). As of 2020, students affected by IGP often had higher rates of chronic absence and lower proficiency rates than students…

Design2Learn (D2L) is a NYC-based afterschool program aimed at increasing middle school students' interest, engagement, and achievement in science. Designed by ExpandED Schools, D2L centers around three core strategies: (1) collaborative teaching between an in-school science teacher and two afterschool educators; (2) curricular bridging, which…

This pilot study involved fourth and fifth-grade students (N = 25) from two elementary schools that receive the True Goals (TG) small group intervention during an after-school program in one school district in the Midwest region of the United States. A one-group pre-post design was used to assess classroom teachers' perceptions of student learning…

No one-size-fits-all strategy works to increase physical activity (PA) at schools. To realize success, practitioners need flexible PA programs to support the multi-component comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) approach. Walk/run programs have the potential to provide this flexibility, and some have demonstrated increased…

With the push by government and business leaders for greater emphasis on STEM education at all grade levels, STEM leaders (i.e., educational leadership and teacher leaders) are challenged to pioneer integrative praxes that prepare students for success in a scientifically and technologically driven society. Additionally, these STEM leaders must…

Afterschool programs can offer enriching opportunities, homework help and a safe environment. To ensure that these programs are cohesive, high-quality and widely available, many cities have designed community-wide systems to coordinate the various afterschool programs offered by different providers. Having a way to collect and share reliable data…

Background: In view of global health concerns about high levels of inactivity and related disease patterns of citizens, Physical Education and Health (PEH) has become an educational priority in many countries, including South Africa. Aim: The research aimed to explore and capture the effects of a multistakeholder physical education (PE) initiative…

This paper presents an overview of some of Michael Cole's work, starting with his pioneering research in Liberia with the Kpelle (and later, with Sylvia Scribner, studies of literacy with the Vai, 1981), which was formative of his version of a cultural-historical psychology, his translation and interpretations of the work of L. S. Vygotsky and…

Background: STEM identity has emerged as an important research topic and a predictor of how youth engage with STEM inside and outside of school. Although there is a growing body of literature in this area, less work has been done specific to engineering, especially in out-of-school learning contexts. Methods: To address this need, we conducted a…