A growing movement suggests that social and emotional learning (SEL) should be integrated into educational experiences in and outside schools. Afterschool programs can be particularly well suited for SEL, and afterschool educators can play an important role in skill development. We interviewed 23 experienced afterschool educators in…

Background/Context: Though Black Americans have long suffered under racial tyranny, they have made valiant efforts to subvert policies and practices that encroach on their humanity. Nevertheless, systemic racism has been virtually unyielding--creating both racial hierarchies and disparities in access to resources and wellness. Programs designed to…

Background: American Indian communities in the United States experience considerable health inequities, including increased exposure to environmental contaminants. Consequently, community members of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation identified the lack of water-related environmental knowledge among children as an area of concern. Aim: The purpose of…

In this article we expand the scope of school-university partnerships to include a community partner. This study involved an afterschool tutoring program known as the Discovery Center (pseudonym) partnering with a university reading class. This partnership, which is in its sixth year of implementation, prepares teacher candidates in the area of…

In this article we describe the development, implementation, and some of the early impacts of Nurture thru Nature (NtN), an American after-school and summer program designed to introduce elementary school students in disadvantaged, urban public schools to natural science and environmental education. The program, which began operations in 2010 as a…

A school-community partnership team implemented an aggression management curriculum in an afterschool program as an early-intervention strategy at the upper elementary level. Although statistically significant differences in physical or psychological aggression were not found, the partnership team gained a better understanding of evidence-based…

School-community partnering activities promote the education of children, the well-being of families, and the vitality of communities. This study explores the connections that exist and are desired between a small, rural elementary school and its local community. Interviews (n = 21) with district and school administration, teachers, parents, and…

Previous studies indicate that practicum experience is essential for pre-service teachers to develop understanding of effective teaching, professional identity, and culturally responsiveness. However, it is possible that first-year pre-service teachers are not ready to teach in a classroom with as many as 30 students which could present…

Prime Time Palm Beach County, Inc. is an organization dedicated to improving the availability and quality of afterschool programs in the county. During the 2007-2008 program year, Prime Time implemented a county-wide Quality Improvement System (QIS) that included program standards, an assessment process, and on-site technical assistance delivered…

This paper describes how 20 pre-service teachers enrolled in two social studies methods courses at Buffalo State College worked collaboratively to produce a Cross-cultural Literacy Fair at an urban-based elementary school. The participatory activities created for the event were provided in conjunction with a community after-school program and…

Identifying the voluntary activities, programs, and services that children and families use during students' out-of-school time as primary supports, this self-study guide provides a framework for developing primary support programs that allow school-aged children and adolescents to develop physical, cognitive, social, and emotional skills. The…

This report describes the implementation of the DC 21st Century Community Learning Center (DC 21st CCLC) After-School Program between October 1999 and May 2000, as well as the implications of current implementation for continued evaluation of the program. The report is also designed to inform Children and Youth Investment Partnership Investment…

Noting that the need for after-school child care will vary considerably by community, this tool kit has been developed to encourage local collaborations of community members to examine the needs and programs for school-age care, with this term including child care before school and during the summer, in their community. The guide provides a…

Sustainability seems generally thought to mean raising money. But money is only part of the equation. Money cannot be raised without a quality program, a quality program demonstrates results, effective results are based on sound management practices, etc. Sustainability therefore, is many things that in combination make something capable of…

A review of the social needs of adolescents in Glendale (California) and elsewhere was conducted to determine the needs and potential support for the proposed Glendale Teen Support Center (GTSC) and to provide documentation for the Center's future funding requests. The GTSC was conceived as an after-school social center that would provide a…