The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program was reauthorized in 2015 in Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 21st CCLC programs provide academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students meet challenging…

The purpose of this study was to determine to what degree significant academic gains occurred in English/language arts and mathematics achievement for students who attended the after-school program compared to the students who did not participate in the after-school program. This study was significant in that it examined the impact of structured…

This dissertation explores how afterschool programming shaped New York City children's experiences from the 1930s-1960s. Centering the many organizations that planned activities for children, I explore the beliefs and institutional dynamics that determined what the work of afterschool involved. With purposes spanning education, recreation,…

More than 1.6 million children and youth in the United States attend 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLCs), which are federally funded after-school programs available in each state, particularly for students who attend high poverty and low-performing schools (US Department of Education, 2020). These 10,125 centers are intended to do…

Low family socioeconomic status (SES) has been noted to impact children and youths' development, specifically in cognitive skills and risky behaviors (Brieant et al., 2021). Low SES often increases stressors for parents, may hinder monitoring of youth if parents must work multiple jobs, and may impact child-parent quality time and bonding (Conger…

Afterschool programs inspire kids to learn, help them make better decisions, and give parents peace of mind. Throughout the pandemic, 21st Century Community Learning Centers have kept kids engaged and learning and met the needs of families nationwide. But the demand for these programs far exceeds the supply. 21st Century Community Learning Centers…

Although many youths participate in afterschool programs, the research is unclear about which aspects of afterschool program quality contribute most to positive outcomes. This article examines the relationship among quality and outcomes of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CLCCs) afterschool programs, as perceived by 3,388 stakeholders from…

This mixed-methods research evaluates Conversation Club (CC), a Canadian after-school group mentoring intervention for newcomer youth. The study's main objectives are to examine the effects of CC on newcomer youth's experiences of belonging, connectedness, hopefulness, and integration into Canadian society. Using a quasi-experimental design, CC (n…

This qualitative study documents urban youth participation in a community-based out-of-school youth writing program that cultivated participants' dialogues, identities, and writings. The study documents participants' perspectives as contributors and beneficiaries of a neighborhood revitalization effort. Analysis of excerpts from breakout sessions,…

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…

This evaluation study provides descriptive information about the implementation and outcomes of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program in West Virginia, from September 2013 through May 2014. The report draws on information from online surveys of directors of 27 CCLC programs and from school teachers for 2,117 of the 11,432…

This study analyzed the relationship between after-school programs and standardized assessment results of schools in Texas. Information was collected from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website including Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) reports and after-school grantees. The independent variables were after-school 21st Century…

By adopting Sen's capability approach, this study explores transformative educational actions for children in poverty to develop their capabilities for learning for life. Sen's capability approach provides a framework for why it is important to foster the capabilities of children in poverty and what is required to help these children to improve…

This report examines the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) programs evaluated by Research for Action (RFA) and presents an aggregate analysis of key findings to inform broader discussions about OST programs. The report addresses the following questions: (1) Who participated in the 21st CCLC programs and how frequently did they…

Policymakers are increasingly turning to expanded learning time (ELT) as a strategy for improving student achievement. This trend is impacting community-based organizations' (CBOs) work in schools, pushing them to focus more on academics and engage with schools in new ways. Most notably, grantees of the federal 21st Century Community Learning…