Getting more young people engaged in STEM is essential in part because jobs in STEM continue to grow at rates double those of non-STEM professions. Providing greater opportunities for STEM learning isn't just about preparing the future workforce. As the world continues to rely more and more on technology, everyone will require a greater level of…

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…

After school programs offer an important avenue for supplementing educational opportunities. In California, the After School Education and Safety (ASES) program creates incentives for locally driven after school programs to partner with schools and communities in providing academic support and safe, constructive alternatives for elementary and…

Out-of-school time (OST) programs represent a vital opportunity and resource for learning and development for children and youth. Given the potential of city-level OST initiatives to support participation, and against the national backdrop of inequitable access to quality OST programs for older youth from disadvantaged communities, The Wallace…

Each day in America, millions of kids go home to an empty house after school. In recent years, the growth of quality, affordable afterschool programs has begun to offer positive alternatives to the parents of these children. In 2009, the Afterschool Alliance contracted with RTi, a market research firm, to conduct a household survey of nearly…

Since the 2003-04 school year, Save the Children, U.S. Programs, has supported programming designed to improve reading skills among struggling students in rural areas. The literacy program includes both afterschool and in-school interventions with small groups of children. These are implemented by well-trained paraprofessionals and are designed to…

Afterschool programs offer an important avenue for enhancing educational opportunities. Federal, state, and local educational authorities increasingly see them as environments to improve attitudes toward school, achievement, and academic performance (Fashola, 2002; Hollister, 2003) with higher levels of student participation and engagement in…

"Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California" is an anti-crime organization led by more than 200 California sheriffs, police chiefs, district attorneys, and victims of violence. This report brings together new evidence from California and around the nation showing that the after-school hours are the peak time when youth become involved in…