One of the biggest challenges that states and local intermediaries face in setting up and scaling high-quality youth apprenticeships is gathering relevant, accurate and actionable data. High-quality data is an essential ingredient for a strong youth apprenticeship program because it equips state and local leaders to evaluate impact, monitor…

This report analyzes case studies of "more and better learning time" efforts around the country. With support from the Ford Foundation, America's Promise Alliance looked in Grand Rapids, MI; Louisville, KY; Memphis, TN; and Rochester, NY to see how time spent out of the classroom improved outcomes for students in low-income neighborhoods…

In 2017, the National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC) released its first in a series of professional development briefs that focus on the professional development needs and interests of Neglected or Delinquent (N or D) State coordinators, correctional educators, and providers of…

As the only federal funding stream that provides dedicated funds for afterschool programs across the country, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative plays an important role in supporting the innovation that takes place in afterschool programs. Social innovation has been defined as "a novel solution to a social…

This testimony reports on the state of program evaluation in the field of drug education for youth. The report focuses on the role of evaluation in: (1) the Department of Education's program of grants to states and local school districts under the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA) of 1986, as amended; (2) the department's Drug-Free…

Civic engagement that is, community service, political activism, environmentalism, and other volunteer activities provide needed services to community residents and psychological, social, and intellectual benefits to participants. A small but growing body of research suggests the likelihood that active involvement leads to healthy, active…

Presents a method of evaluating youth programs in accordance to a youth development agenda. Surveys of black adolescents regarding after-school and school-day experiences, and of students from other after-school programs, indicate that only some after-school programs provide more youth development opportunities and supports than school-day…

Improving the quality of out-of-school time activities and creating effective learning environments is of keen interest to practitioners, funders and policymakers. Funded by The William Penn Foundation, "Quality Time After School" identifies characteristics of after-school activities that are linked to youth engagement and learning…

This handbook was developed as a resource for individuals involved in the planning and implementation of evaluation activities related to programs for neglected or delinquent youths. The handbook is organized into eight sections. Section 1, Program Evaluation and Overview, discusses a wide range of evaluation purposes, ranging from accountability…

This document combines the findings of two projects for the purpose of making some overall observations about the state of religious youth work in the United States. The first project was a review of the literature on such programs. Research on the topic is rare, while a vast body of indirectly related research spans many disciplines and empirical…

Describes the aims of the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative and the past accomplishments and future aims of the Youth Training Scheme. Also discusses the new Training Standards Advisory Service, role of trade unions, and future needs. (CT)

This study of youth development opportunities for youth aged 7 to 14 years in Minneapolis (Minnesota) involved three phases completed between 1994 and 1995. Planning and information gathering involved interviews with 60 program providers and key informants from youth programs. A written survey of 187 program providers assesses perceived barriers…

Substantial disagreement exists among professionals in the judiciary and in the public at large as to what the goals of the justice system should be. Some programs and interventions aimed at preventing juvenile violence and delinquency, as well as efforts that rehabilitate young people already in the system, are identified here. The report…

This paper analyzes the politics of a fund established to support the development of urban children and youth outside of traditional classrooms. It examines the fund's effectiveness in establishing after school programs that provide safety, opportunities to connect with adults, and engagement with communities and evaluates implications for urban…

This study examined six Beacon centers, which are community centers located in public school buildings that offer a range of activities and services to participants of all ages, before and after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. Individual Beacons are managed by community-based organizations. The study examined how the Beacons provided…