Program Quality 

A new report from America's Promise Alliance has stunning data about the high school graduation rate in our nation's 50 largest cities: only about half (52 percent) of students in the main school systems actually finish high school with a diploma -- the number is as low as 35 percent in Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit and Indianapolis. To view this study and find out more about the America’s Promise Dropout prevention campaign, go to http://www.connectforkids.org/node/6506

This report synthesizes the last 10 years of findings from Public/Private Ventures and other researchers' work to address one of the most demanding challenges facing today's after-school programs-how to create and manage programs that stand the best chance of producing specific, policy-relevant outcomes. It examines recruitment strategies that attract young people to activities, the qualities that make activities engaging and motivate participants to attend regularly, and the infrastructure-staffing, management and monitoring-needed to support such activities.

A new report from the California Dropout Research Project investigates the causes of high school dropout through dialogue with youth throughout the state. The study found that Teacher-student relationships are a powerful force in determining student's overall experiences of school; the absence of support seems fundamental to the rationale for dropping out. To view this study, go to http://www.lmri.ucsb.edu/dropouts/pubs_reports.htm

This article by Robert Granger of the W.T. Grant Foundation examines program evaluation literature, observational studies, and commentaries to summarize after school programs impacts on academics, components of successful programming, and identifies approaches to program improvement.  To view this article, click here.

The Research Speaker Workshop held at UCLA on January 24, 2008 featured Denise Huang Ph.D. (UCLA) spoke about her participation in the recently released Department of Justice longitudinal study regarding the positive impact of the L.A.'s BEST after school program on juvenile crime rates, and Professor Deborah Vandell (UCI) spoke about her recently released study on the academic and social benefits of eight nationwide after school programs. The event also featured a focused question and answer session.

This Child Trends study analyzes family and community data for children ages 6 to 17 from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health and finds that nearly half of children in high-risk families are not involved in any out of school time activity regardless of neighborhood risk level. While children from all levels of neighborhood risk that do not have high risk families participate in out of school activities at much higher rates.

Offers a snapshot of after school in NY and outlines steps to ensure youth have access to high quality after school opportunities. To view this study visit http://www.tascorp.org/section/what_we_do/public_policy/partners/nysan1

The latest “Issues and Opportunities in Out-of-School Time Evaluation” research brief from Harvard Family Research Project draws on seminal research and evaluation studies to address two primary questions: (a) Does participation in after school programs make a difference, and, if so (b) what conditions appear to be necessary to achieve positive results?

The Research Speaker Workshop held at UCLA on January 24, 2008 featured Denise Huang Ph.D. (UCLA) spoke about her participation in the recently released Department of Justice longitudinal study regarding the positive impact of the L.A.'s BEST after school program on juvenile crime rates, and Professor Deborah Vandell (UCI) spoke about her recently released study on the academic and social benefits of eight nationwide after school programs. The event also featured a focused question and answer session.

Research in the out-of-school time (OST) field confirms that there is a strong connection between professional development for staff and positive outcomes for youth. The Out-of-School Time Resource Center (OSTRC) in the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania recently released Promising Practices in Out-of-School Time Professional Development. The document broadly defines OST professional development and summarizes promising practices in its design, implementation, and evaluation.

The Center for Collaborative Solutions recently released volume 4 in their New Relationships with Schools: Building Community by Connecting With Schools series studying organizations that have sought to strengthen their communities by working with schools to improve public education. The study highlights the work of five such organizations throughout the country, including one in San Francisco that used “conversation-based engagement,” speaking directly with schools and communities regarding their needs in order to influence educational policy and practice.

Two new briefs recently released from Child Trends offer primers for program providers about Random Assignment and Quasi-Experimental evaluation.

To view the entire Child Trends' series of briefs on practical evaluation methods, visit www.childtrends.org/researchtoresults.

This Child Trends brief provides a basic review of outcome evaluations, discusses why they are important and when they are useful, and discusses ways they can be implemented in out-of-school time programs. The brief also highlights the experience of an out-of-school time program that has conducted an outcome evaluation and provides a list of helpful evaluation resources. To view this brief visit
http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2008_01_07_OutcomeEvaluat...

The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) report that profiles three case studies of obesity prevention collaborations, documents the factors that led to successes and challenges, and shares four
critical factors for collaborations in this area. To view and download, click the link:
http://www.nihcm.org/pdf/FINAL_report_CDC_CO.pdf

The National Collaboration for Youth guide explores the context of the immigrant experience and includes practical tips for hiring, developing, and retaining staff to work with immigrant youth. To view this guide, click on the link:
http://www.nydic.org/nydic/staffing/workforce/PreparingStafftoWorkwithIm...

This policy brief provides an overview of current after school developments in California and the opportunities and challenges they create for those who provide physical activity and nutrition programs for youth, including the differences between programs run by local education agencies and those run by community-based programs, and how programs are implementing physical activity and nutrition components.