Safe and Smart: Making After-School Hours Work for Kids - June 1998

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Chapter 2
What Works: Components of Exemplary After-School Programs

Risk can be transformed into opportunity for our youth by turning their non-school hours into the time of their lives.

--A Matter of Time
Carnegie Corporation
December, 1992
Quality after-school programs can provide safe, engaging environments that motivate and inspire learning outside of the regular school day. While there is no one single formula for success in after-school programs, both practitioners and researchers have found that effective programs combine academic, enrichment, cultural, and recreational activities to guide learning and engage children and youth in wholesome activities. They also find that the best programs develop activities to meet the particular needs of the communities they serve.

The types of activities found in a quality after-school program include tutoring and supplementing instruction in basic skills, such as reading, math, and science; drug and violence prevention curricula and counseling; youth leadership activities (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, academic clubs); volunteer and community service opportunities; college awareness and preparation; homework assistance centers; courses and enrichment in the arts and culture; computer instruction; language instruction, including English as a second language; employment preparation or training; mentoring; activities linked to law enforcement; and supervised recreation and athletic programs and events.

However, many programs allow children to spend far too much time in passive activities such as television or video viewing. One reason for poor-quality after-school activities may be inadequate facilities. Most after-school programs do not have the use of a library, computers, museum, art room, music room, or game room on a weekly basis. Too many programs do not have access to a playground or park.[108]

Looking across the constellation of after-school programs--those in schools, those run in the facilities of community-based organizations, or those found in houses of faith--researchers have identified some common characteristics necessary to developing high-quality programs that meet the needs of a diverse population of school-age children.[109]

Common elements include:

These characteristics of high-quality after-school programs help ensure children's continued growth, development, and learning throughout the pre-adolescent and adolescent school years.[110]

Goal Setting and Strong Management

Community coordination and collaboration are key to running successful after-school programs. Programs need to set and communicate goals from the beginning, develop a solid organizational structure, and manage effectively.

Focus on the goals of the program. After-school programs should be clear about their intended goals. Some after-school programs are designed primarily as safe havens, some focus on recreation, and others have a strong academic focus. Leaders, staff, parents, and community members should establish these goals through collaborative decision-making. Once the goals have been established, the program should be managed with an eye to meeting those goals. By creating an evaluation plan that focuses on the goals, an after-school program can set a course for continuous improvement in which the goals may shift or be refined over time.

Communicating the goals of the program is a primary function of the leaders and staff. The program's goals influence and guide the allocation of funding, the structure and activities of the program, the overall size and staffing, and many other factors. In addition, a clear set of goals lets families and community members know what the program offers to children and how they can help.

Solid organizational structure. Organization and management structures vary across after-school programs. The shape of these structures depends on whether the programs are developed by schools or districts, by community-based organizations or other social service providers, or in partnership with several agencies or organizations. Regardless of the sponsoring group or groups, a successful governance structure combines hands-on, site-based management with regular oversight and accountability to all partners. In programs focused on academic enhancement, school personnel and after-school program administrators need a system in place that allows for effective communication, flexibility, and accountability for actions and results.

Strong Resource Management Matters

Ankeny, Iowa, serves 5,000 students, grades K-12, and a community of 25,000 through programs for all ages in nine public schools and a community center. One school offers after-school activities, adult education classes, substance abuse counseling, family services, recreation, meeting space for community groups, and a juvenile justice program. Funding for programs comes from a variety of sources, including user fees and registration fees, the parent-teacher association, federal and state grants, local and voluntary contributions, city and school funds, and rental fees for private use of facilities.

Effective management. Successful programs use annual operating budgets, accurate bookkeeping systems, affordable fee structures, and multiple funding sources, including in-kind support. Program administrators search for funding continuously and creatively, looking to both new sources (e.g., community foundations and groups, such as the United Way, local education funds, and employers) and traditional sources (e.g., federal formula and discretionary programs, state programs, foundations, community agencies, and organizations). In addition, a number of mayors and governors are proposing new funding for after-school programs. At the national level, President Clinton and Vice President Gore have proposed an investment of $200 million to Congress to expand after-school programs through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

Meeting legal requirements. Successful programs develop procedures and policies that protect children and staff by meeting licensing requirements, addressing liability issues, carrying adequate liability insurance, maintaining appropriate records, regularly reviewing health and safety practices, and complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Inclusion of children with disabilities is part of a good after-school program.

Serving Kids with Disabilities in After-School Activities

Kids of All Learning Abilities (KOALA), a program of the Greater Boston Association for Retarded Citizens, is funded by the Boston School Age Child Care Project and the Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation. The program facilitates the inclusion of children with disabilities into after-school and recreational programs. KOALA helps place children in programs, and provides support to parents and children during the transition into a new program. KOALA has expanded the number of Boston programs that can serve children with disabilities and, as a result, more children have been placed and served.

Quality After-School Staffing

Staffing arrangements vary according to a program's size, management structure, and goals. But all programs need staff who are qualified and committed, have appropriate experience and realistic expectations, and can interact productively with regular school staff, whether or not the program is school-based. Staff usually include a program administrator, teachers, paraprofessionals, and college students along with parent and community volunteers.

Role of the program administrator. The program director plays an important part in ensuring that the after-school program provides high-quality services that meet the needs of program staff, students and families. Effective administrators also develop strong relationships with the schools that the participating children attend and with important community partners.

Hiring and retaining qualified staff. Children in school-age programs indicate that warm, caring, and stable adult relationships are important to their success in an after-school program. This is especially critical for children and youth who may not have the support and guidance they need at home. Having a staff with higher levels of education is related to fewer negative interactions between staff and children and greater parental satisfaction. As such, programs should hire skilled and qualified staff who are experienced in working with school-age children on learning, enrichment, and recreational activities.[111]

Programs should also be willing to provide attractive compensation and work scheduling packages to retain quality staff. For example, teachers who are part of an after-school program may participate on the basis of a staggered school day that begins at 11 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m.

Looking at the School Day in a New Way

Five days a week, year round, Murfreesboro, Tennessee's nine elementary schools are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. At Cason Lane Academy (K-8), each day is divided into three distinct parts: traditional academics such as reading (no pull-outs allowed) until 11 a.m.; contemporary education, with small group work, individualized instruction, and music and art classes for every student, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and "increased opportunities," in which parents may choose academics taught by regular Cason Lane teachers, art, recreation, or life skills classes for their children from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Each day 500 to 600 of Cason Lane's 950 students stay for the afternoon session; during the year, 90 percent of the children participate at some time. Cason Lane uses flex-time scheduling to make certified teachers available to teach academics after regular school hours. Mid-day assistants, usually college student, relieve teachers and supervise lunch. Ancillary staff, coaches, and music teachers work from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Professional development for staff. In order to sustain a quality program, staff should be provided with ongoing training and learning opportunities to prevent high rates of turnover. Staff training often includes how to work with children, how to negotiate, and how to adapt to the needs of children of different ages, races, or cultures and children with disabilities. Training can also give staff ideas for enrichment and hands-on activities; greater expertise in academic subject matter; knowledge in assessing student progress; and strategies for implementing the different program components of academics, enrichment, and recreation. Training is critical to retention of quality staff and volunteers.

Use of volunteers. Most after-school programs welcome volunteers. Volunteers can include parents, grandparents, caring senior citizens, Federal Work-Study college students, or AmeriCorps personnel. Their use can dramatically reduce the price of a program while reducing the staff-to-child ratio. Program directors should incorporate volunteers into the program appropriate to their skill levels and interests. As with the regular after-school staff, volunteers should be oriented to working with children and youth before entering the program and given the opportunity to participate in on-going staff development.

Low staff-to-student ratio. For true student enrichment, the staff-to-student ratio should be low, especially when tutoring or mentoring activities are taking place. Staff/child ratios vary according to the ages and abilities of children. Usually, the ratio is between 1:10 and 1:15 for groups of children age six and older.

Larger staff/child ratios (greater than 1:13) are associated with more time waiting in line and with staff exhibiting poorer behavior management skills.[112]

Providing Low Adult-Child Ratios

The Tulsa (Oklahoma) Children's Coalition has been providing quality after-school programs to students grades K-5 for six years and is currently operating in nine school-based sites serving 400 students. Providing services from the end of the school day until 6 p.m., the Tulsa Children's Coalition maintains a ratio of one adult for every 12 children.

Smaller group sizes. Group size also matters when undertaking learning and enrichment activities, depending on the type and complexity of the activity. Group size should not exceed 30 in any case. By limiting group sizes, children have more positive interactions with staff and other children. Programs in which children are in groups that exceed 30 tend towards serving a baby-sitting function rather than a learning, enriching one. Ratios and group sizes should be kept small when students are learning a new or difficult skill. This is also true for activities involving equipment that could be dangerous if children are not supervised properly.[113]

Attention to Safety, Health, and Nutrition Issues

Creating safe places. Programs should be safe, close to home, and accessible to all children and youth who want to participate. They should have adequate space for a variety of indoor and outdoor activities. Safe transit can be provided through such methods as transportation, staff escorts, and crossing guards.

Safe Places Cut Crime

Three years ago, Baltimore's Police Athletic League (PAL) opened up after-school activity centers in the city's fledgling recreation centers from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Today there are over 27 centers that serve as safe places for neighborhood kids. Crime involving youngsters has dropped markedly in neighborhood where the centers are located. The PAL center becomes an anchor in the community, making the entire community safer.

Meeting nutritional needs. Good after-school programs provide a nutritious snack, and other meals when appropriate, for relaxation and socializing and to promote sound nutrition for participants. Federal food and nutrition programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture are available to school- and community-based programs to help meet the nutritional needs of students.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Programs

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in the U.S. Department of Agriculture sponsors a number of food programs aimed at improving the nutritional status of America's children and youth. Services that can be used in before- and after-school and extended learning programs include the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Milk Program. For more information, call 703-305-2286 or find program fact sheets on their Web site at http://www.fns.usda.gov/newsite.htm.

Effective Partnerships with Community-Based Organizations, Juvenile Justice Agencies, Law Enforcement, and Youth Groups

Implementing a quality after-school program through activities such as tutoring in reading and other subjects, arts and music classes and cultural enrichment, conflict resolution, intensive mentoring to prepare for college or careers, homework help, computer classes, organized sports activities, and drug-prevention requires collaboration among diverse partners: not only parents and educators, but also community residents, law enforcement agencies, service providers, community-based and civic organizations (e.g., the United Way, YWCAs or YMCAs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Junior Achievement, Boys and Girls Clubs), colleges, employers, arts and cultural institutions, museums, park and recreation services, and public officials.

Effective programs aim to draw on all of the community's diverse resources, including the participation of children and youth in program planning, in order to best address the concerns of an entire community.

Steps to building an after-school partnership. Collaboration often requires changes in traditional roles, responsibilities, expectations, relationships, and schedules. These changes can frustrate even the best of efforts if the people who implement the new program do not share common goals, a vision for what the after-school program can accomplish, and an understanding of the populations the program will target and the strategies to be used. Schools, parents, after-school staff, and community leaders can take several steps to ensure the success of an after-school program[114]:

Community Assessment Leads to After-School Program

Results from a 1990 survey by the American Association of University Women led to the development of the Before and After School Explorers (B.A.S.E.) Program in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Since 1991, the school-based program has more than doubled in size, yet it still maintains a desirable 1:12 teacher-student ratio.

After-School Includes the Entire Neighborhood

The Chicago YouthNet Program is a network of youth development sites located in 20 of the city's 25 police districts, and is funded by City of Chicago corporate funds. The Program includes activities such as educational enhancement, support services, and recreational, cultural, and community activities. The Program utilizes the community resources of the local police district, local public schools and parks, neighborhood-based service providers, and community and religious organizations to provide a comprehensive joint venture program.

Using community resources effectively. Effective collaboration between the after-school program and the community, whether through partnerships or developed networks, gives students more options and helps to extend the resources available for after-school learning, enrichment, and recreation. Communities can provide a wide range of resources for developing high-quality programs, such as funding, facilities, materials, expertise, job shadowing experiences, mentors, tutors, and community service and learning experiences. Advisory boards help maintain strong links among the community, families, community-based organizations, religious organizations, employers, and the school system, and maximize a community's various resources. These boards can help the community conduct an inventory of existing after-school resources, such as opportunities at a Boys and Girls Club or local church, and identify the ongoing needs of a neighborhood.

Law enforcement officials make strong community partners. Law enforcement officials are stepping up to the plate in support of after-school programs as strong prevention measures against crime. Nine out of ten police chiefs agree that "if America doesn't pay for greater investments in programs to help children and youth now, we will all pay far more later in crime, welfare, and other costs." Indeed, when asked to pick the strategy that would be "most effective" in the long term in reducing crime and violence, the chiefs chose "increasing investment in programs that help all children and youth get a good start" nearly four to one over "trying more juveniles as adults" or even "hiring additional police officers." Following up on their beliefs, police officers and other law enforcement officials are collaborating with community groups, sponsoring after-school programs for children and youth, and serving as role models and mentors in the programs.[115]

We can make ourselves and our children safer by investing in child care and after-school programs for America's most vulnerable kids, instead of waiting to spend far more--in money and lives--on those who become America's 'Most Wanted' adults.

--R. Gil Kerlikowske
Buffalo Police Commissioner
President, Police Executive
Research Forum

Strong Involvement of Families

Thirty years of research show the difference family involvement makes in children's learning and in life chances for success. Family involvement in after-school programs is just as important. The success of an after-school program depends on the involvement of both families and the community.

Involving families and youth in program planning. Programs designed to include families and children in the planning draw greater support from participants and their families and from the community at large. When programs incorporate the ideas of parents and their participating children, activities tend to be more fun and culturally relevant, and tend to capture children's and adolescents' interests better. Successful programs seek to involve parents in orientation sessions, workshops, volunteer opportunities, parent advisory committees, and in a wide range of adult learning opportunities, such as parenting education, computer training, and English as a second language.

Parents Help Plan After-School Activities

The Master Program in Montgomery, Texas, offers elementary students the opportunity to experience a variety of educational and recreational activities after school. A committee of 8 to 10 parents works with the school's administration to oversee program operations and make decisions on class offerings. This committee serves as a liaison between parents and the school administration, encouraging positive communication as well.

Attending to the needs of working parents. Good programs are aware that their customers are not only the children they serve, but their families as well. These programs are designed with sensitivity to the schedules and requirements of working parents.

Accommodating family schedules
In addition to the after-school hours, activities are also scheduled during the morning hours before school when many parents are either commuting to work or already at the workplace. Learning, enrichment, and recreation activities are developed for program operation during school holidays and summer breaks as well as for the children of working parents and others.

Making after-school affordable
Cost is an important factor for working families. Good after-school programs work hard to be cost effective and to make accommodations for families enrolling more than one child. Serving siblings of different ages is critical, whether in the same after-school program or in linked, age-specific programs. Siblings do not need to be served by the same program, but programs should work together to serve all children in a family in a convenient and cost-effective manner.

Tending to transportation
In addition to addressing scheduling and cost issues, programs can help meet family needs by providing transportation to and from the before- and after-school programs. While transportation is a major cost for an after-school program, it is a critical safety and logistical concern for families.

Anti-Drug Tax Provides Free After-School Transportation for Kids

The citizens of Jackson County, Missouri, voted for a quarter cent tax increase two years ago to combat drug trafficking and abuse by placing more law enforcement officials on the street and providing prevention and treatment dollars to social service agencies. Bridger Junior High School in Independence, received a grant from the Jackson County Community Anti-Drug Tax (COMBAT) Commission to fund transportation costs for students returning home in the evenings from its after-school program, which the Commission considers a drug prevention effort.

Coordinating Learning with the Regular School Day

By extending the hours in which children learn, after-school programs can be an important resource for improving their academic performance. Instructional practices can be used to actively engage students' attention and commitment. In addition, enrichment opportunities not found during the regular school day--such as art, music, and drama--can be offered to supplement the regular school program. Good extended learning programs provide a continuity of learning experiences for students after school through coordination with the regular school day and communication with the classroom teachers and staff of the school or schools attended by children in the after-school program.

Providing engaging opportunities to grow and learn. A wide variety of enriching and engaging activities can be offered in after-school programs to make learning fun and to provide recreation. Quality programs give children the opportunity to follow their own interests or curiosity, explore other cultures, develop hobbies, and learn in different ways, such as through sight, sound, or movement. Children in these programs are encouraged to try new activities, think for themselves, ask questions, and test out new ideas. Quality programming reflects the needs, interests, and abilities of children, recognizing that they change as children grow older.

Developing and Implementing an After-School Enrichment Curriculum

FOUNDATIONS Inc., a non-profit organization in New Jersey, provides enrichment programs, supportive services, and assistance to children in grades K?6 by operating an extended school day program within school buildings. Using literature-based curriculum manuals, students in FOUNDATIONS' programs participate in activities focused on five themes: All About Me--exploring conflict resolution skills and understanding of oneself; Our Global Festival--understanding the culture, history, and traditions of others; On the Creative Express--including the creative and performing arts as activities; TechQuest--teaching transferable skills based on student needs and teacher training; and Action Earth--exploring local as well as national events and issues. Children participate in individual, small, and large group activities; indoor and outdoor activities; and quiet and active play, all of which carry out these themes

Challenging curriculum in an enriching environment. Successful programs make the extended-time curriculum challenging but not overwhelming. According to research, a challenging curriculum accommodates individual student needs, coordinates with in-school instruction, and focuses on more than remedial work.[116] It also combines direct teaching with indirect instruction, such as computer use, scientific experiments and other hands-on projects, art, music, reading for pleasure, youth leadership, and participation in community activities. Research suggests that combining these approaches helps students acquire a set of skills useful in school and in life.

Connecting the after-school curriculum. Quality after-school curricula integrate learning and enrichment through clear cycles of assessment, feedback, and evaluation that meet students' needs. Enrichment activities often include interdisciplinary, thematic group projects to integrate and reinforce concepts learned in school. For example, students studying multiplication in their math class might practice the multiplication tables through tap in a dance class or students studying cloud formations in their science class might draw cumulus, cirrus, and stratus clouds in their after-school art class.

"[LA's BEST] isn't baby-sitting. This gives children a chance to experience culture and learning while improving themselves."

-- Site coordinator
LA's BEST after-school program

Linkages Between School-Day and After-School Personnel

Quality programs support and coordinate their activities with the school in a way that supports true partnership. In those after-school programs physically housed in school buildings, there is the opportunity to link together school-day and after-school personnel and resources in a seamless continuum of activities that focus on the well-being and growth of participants. Quality programs have:

Planning time to maximize children's opportunities. Time is provided for school-day and after-school staff to establish and maintain relationships of mutual respect and understanding. In so doing, teachers and the after-school or summer-time staff can confer on the social and academic status of participating children, create a welcoming environment for parent and community volunteers, and make arrangements for the use of facilities and materials, such as computer labs and recreational equipment. In some school-based programs, the after-school staff attend faculty meetings with the regular school-day staff and share teacher work areas.

Communication Between Regular School and Extended Day Personnel

Teachers and after-school staff at P.S. 5, an elementary school in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, make daily communication about children's academic progress a priority. When the school opened its after-school program, Children's Aid Society staff helped to develop a formal notification system in which teachers would send homework slips to the after-school staff; however, this system was never implemented because teachers and after-school staff already communicated effectively through more informal means. The P.S. 5 school-day and after-school staff plan ahead and work together in a flexible way that works.

Coordinated use of facilities and resources. The most common complaint voiced in after-school programs is the lack of connection and coordination between the school and after-school staff regarding the use of facilities and equipment. These logistical problems are often more severe when the after-school program depends on resources brought together by partnerships between schools and other agencies or organizations. Typical problems include using classrooms and other school facilities and equipment (such as sports equipment and computers), providing transportation, and hiring staff. Communication and planning can prevent potential problems and misunderstandings about use of space and resources.

The National PTA believes that child care programs and facilities are important in addressing the education, nutritional, recreational, developmental, and safety needs of school-age and preschool children. The PTA encourages the effective use of existing facilities, such as public schools, for child care programs during non-school hours and days.

--National PTA Policy Statement

Evaluation of Program Progress and Effectiveness

After-school programs are, by nature, varied and complex, and no matter how well designed, programs must also take experience into account. Effective after-school programs have a continuous evaluation component built into the design so that program planners can objectively gauge their success based on the clear goals set for the program. For example, programs specifically designed to provide safe places for children need to monitor indicators associated with safety, such as drug use and victimization, but may not assess academic achievement. On the other hand, programs with a strong academic component will want to assess student progress in the after-school and regular school program.

Using data for improvement. A system of accountability and continuous evaluation supports program improvement. It is important to set clear goals for the program against which leaders, staff, and families can monitor the progress of the program and participating students. Depending on the focus of the program and its goals, data may include students' academic performance; results of surveys and focus groups of children, families, staff, and volunteers; neighborhood and school crime statistics; school attendance records; and other information. Based on this information, leaders, staff, families, and community partners can gather periodically to discuss the progress and success of the program, which will help the program with important decisions about design and funding.

Evaluation Aids Continuous Improvement

Staff at sites in the Save the Children Out- of-School Time Rural Initiative discovered how useful evaluation data is to planning and improving their programs. One director from rural South Carolina said the evaluation process helps in "focusing on working on the small first" instead of trying to solve overarching problems with a single solution. The director of St. Ann's Catholic Outreach Center said that evaluation and training showed her how to set priorities for improvement of the Sisters' program, which serves 90 children, ages 5-17, in Kingstree, South Carolina.

Continuous monitoring and a shared understanding of the program's goals help leaders and staff maintain their focus, improve effectiveness and accountability, ensure parent and participant satisfaction, and identify necessary changes. By using data and feedback, a program's director can assess whether its key features are working as intended and help the program do better than before. It also can provide rationales for program effects on children's learning and the need for collaboration as well as guidance for management.

Designing effective evaluations. Programs should be regularly evaluated through the use of both self-assessment and outside assessment efforts that incorporate multiple measures of success that reflect program goals. The best evaluations employ well-designed, quantitative studies that include a control or comparison group of similar students who have not participated in the program. Finally, the evaluation will be most valuable if it is based on the specific goals of the after-school program and focused on measuring the program's progress towards and success in meeting those goals.
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[Chapter 1: The Potential of After-School Programs] [Table of Contents] [Chapter 3: Communities Meeting the Need for After-School Activities]