Afterschool and summer programs offer a multitude of benefits for students and families across the nation, from providing tangible resources like wraparound services to connecting students with supportive adults and peers. These programs not only deliver immediate benefits, but research also shows they bear long-term positive effects on students'…

This paper presents the first results from draw-a-scientist tests (DASTs) over five years that were used to measure the effect of 8-10 week long astronomy clubs and week long summer camps on 3rd-5th grade elementary school students' perceptions of scientists. We facilitated these DASTs prior to these clubs or camps, which provide a baseline for a…

Out-of-school time academic/STEM programs provide educational enrichment to a myriad of student populations with some designed to assist those underrepresented and at-risk who desire to purse post-secondary studies. One such program in West Virginia (WV) is the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA), which provides hands-on, in person and…

After-school and summer programs provide important opportunities for youth to learn STEM practices and form STEM-related identities. However, there has been limited coordination across these programs to measure effectiveness toward learning outcomes. To better understand the constructs that are used to evaluate these programs, we searched key…

Over the last two years, the District of Columbia has aligned policy, resources, and research to strengthen its network of out-of-school time (OST) services. OST programs include afterschool, before, and summer programs for children and youth. In 2017, the District of Columbia (D.C.) Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) launched the…

This mixed methods study examined how engagement in robotics and game design influenced students' self-efficacy, STEM attitudes, and computational thinking (CT) skills. Predominantly African-American students engaged in engineering and computer science tasks during informal learning environments. Results revealed students' self-efficacy scores on…

Urban environmental educators are trying to connect students to the urban environment and nature, and thus develop a certain sense of place. To do so, educators involve students in environmental stewardship, monitoring, activism, and outdoor recreation in cities. At the same time, sense of place has been linked to pro-environmental behaviors and…

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the first in its latest series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief explores afterschool and school improvement. In communities across the…

This paper reports on the evaluation of six pilot programs conducted in four Texas school districts to provide summer and after-school instruction for 2,084 students. The programs are described in terms of commonalities--cost, morale, transportation; and differences or contrasts--scheduling, cost, student identification, program philosophy,…

Many students with disabilities have difficulty acquiring social skills, especially those necessary for employment. Students with autism struggle because of problems with (1) theory of mind; (2) reading facial expressions; (3) auditory processing problems; and (4) a lack of exposure to social conventions. Virtual reality and video have been used…

The Extended School Services (ESS) program was established in 1990 as part of the Kentucky Education Reform Act. The program extends the school day, week, or year for students at risk of academic failure, providing them with additional instructional time to help them meet academic goals. An evaluation of ESS in 2001 utilized statewide surveys and…

Project Success consists of after-school, weekend, and summer educational programs geared toward minority and disadvantaged students to increase their numbers seeking postsecondary education from the Meadville, Pennsylvania area. The project is funded primarily through the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, whose administration is committed to…

This document is comprised of the 12 monthly issues of a newsletter providing support and information for providers of child care for school-age children. The featured articles for each month are: (1) "Tips for New and Old for the New School Year" (September); (2) "Train Them and Retain Them: Keeping Quality Staff" (October);…