Out-of-School Time (OST) programs play a crucial role in child and youth development, serving as a bridge between school, home, and the community. They offer structured environments where young people can engage in meaningful activities, build relationships, and develop essential life skills. OST programs foster personal growth, academic support,…

COVID-19 changed the experiences of K-12 students and teachers in ways that are not yet well-documented. This report provides initial insights into teaching and learning during the pandemic from the perspectives of teachers and students at 31 public schools in three states. The analyses indicate that about two thirds of the teachers surveyed…

Extended learning opportunities (ELOs) provide safe, structured learning environments for students outside the traditional school day. ELOs include afterschool and summer learning programs as well as before-school, evening, and weekend programs. ELOs come in many forms and can include tutoring, volunteering, academic support, community service,…

Secretary of Education, Duncan, proclaimed to a group of teachers in Colorado that if students were to be more competitive with those from other countries, in particular, China and India, they needed to be in school six days a week for at least 11 months a year (Associated Press, 2009). Although longer school days, weeks and years are not…

For several years the public schools of the city of Gary, Indiana, have attracted the attention of educators, and teachers and school officers have come from all parts of this country and from abroad to study them. In 1912, Dr. Harlan Updegraff, at that time Chief of the Division of School Administration, prepared a comprehensive account of Gary,…

There are many myths about award-winning schools. Most attribute outstanding school success to money or luck--generous state dollars, corporate sponsorships, that one-in-a-million principal who could run a small country in his spare time. Sure, these things help, but the 20 schools that walked away with this year's Intel and Scholastic Schools of…