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After-School Programs

The likelihood of youth exposure to drug use and other criminal behavior increases dramatically in the hours after school ends. RAND research has shown that the availability of quality after-school activities can reduce participation in and victimization as a result of illicit activities, and can boost academic performance.

Journal Article

Multisite Cost Analysis of a School-Based Voluntary Alcohol and Drug Prevention Program

The large cross-school variation in the cost of implementing Project CHOICE (a voluntary after-school prevention program for adolescents) highlights the importance of collecting cost information from multiple sites.

Sep 1, 2011
Commentary

Dropping Out, Imprisoned or Killed: Disparities in Outcomes Faced by Young African American Men

Boys and men of color—in particular, young African American men—are particularly vulnerable to racial and ethnic disparities. That such disparities exist should surprise no one. Nor should the fact that such disparities diminish the life chances of those affected, writes Lois M. Davis.

Aug 26, 2011
Report

Investment in Summer Learning Programs Can Help Stop the Summer Slide

The loss of knowledge and educational skills during the summer is cumulative over the course of a student's career and further widens the achievement gap between low- and upper-income students. Those who attend summer programs can disrupt that loss and do better in school.

Jun 13, 2011
Research Brief

Summer Counts: Making Summer Programs Part of the Learning Equation

Summer learning programs can prevent the summertime loss of knowledge and skills that disproportionately affects low-income students. A study of existing programs resulted in targeted recommendations for school districts, policymakers, and funders.

Jun 13, 2011
News Release

Investment in Summer Learning Programs Can Help Stop the 'Summer Slide'

The loss of knowledge and educational skills during the summer months is cumulative over the course of a student's career and further widens the achievement gap between low- and upper-income students.

Jun 12, 2011
Report

Spirituality for Kids After-School Program has Significant Positive Effects

A nonreligious after-school program, Spirituality for Kids (SFK) seeks to build resilience in children. Interestingly, it improves not just social and internal outcomes but also school-related outcomes, even though it is not an academic intervention.

Nov 20, 2010
News Release

Coordination Efforts Could Boost After-School Programming

Coordinating the work of the many different institutions involved in after-school activities -- including schools, nonprofits and municipal agencies like parks and libraries -- holds the promise of making programs better and more accessible to urban children and teens who need them.

Oct 21, 2010
Research Brief

Hours of Opportunity: How Cities Can Use Data to Improve Services in Out-of-School Time Programs

Five cities that received a grant from The Wallace Foundation, along with three other cities that were not part of the initiative, were successful in using data from management information systems to improve out-of-school-time programs.

Oct 19, 2010
Research Brief

Hours of Opportunity: How Cities Can Build Systems to Improve Out-of-School-Time Programs

Five cities that received a grant from The Wallace Foundation to increase collaboration, access, quality, information sharing, and sustainability in their out-of-school-time systems used different planning approaches to meet the initiative's goals.

Oct 18, 2010
Report

Hours of Opportunity, Volume 3: Profiles of Five Cities Improving After-School Programs Through a Systems Approach

The third in this three-volume series presents in-depth case studies of five cities that received funding from The Wallace Foundation to improve out-of-school-time program provision: Providence, Boston, New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

Sep 27, 2010
Report

Los Angeles County Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act: Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Report

The Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act funds programs that have been proven effective in curbing crime among juvenile probationers and young at-risk offenders. This report summarizes, for fiscal year 2008–2009, Corrections Standards Authority-mandated outcome measures from each of the programs, as well as county-determined supplemental outcomes.

Sep 21, 2010
Report

Coordination Efforts Could Boost After-School Programming

Coordinating the work of the many different institutions involved in after-school activities—including schools, nonprofits and municipal agencies like parks and libraries—holds the promise of making programs better and more accessible to urban children and teens who need them.

Sep 13, 2010
Report

Hours of Opportunity, Volume 2: The Power of Data to Improve After-School Programs Citywide

The second in this three-volume series describes how Wallace Foundation grantees and three other cities used management information systems to collect and use data on out-of-school-time programs, including enrollment, attendance, and outcomes.

Sep 13, 2010
Journal Article

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.: Effectiveness of Two Programs in the Pittsburgh Public Schools

This paper studies student participation and achievement in two Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) tutoring programs--the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)-mandated supplemental education services (SES) program and a state-developed tutoring program. The authors examine the characteristics of students participating in each program, the effects of participation on student achievement, and the program features that are associated with improved achievement.

Jan 1, 2010
Report

Los Angeles County Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act: Fiscal Year 2007-2008 Report

The Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act funds programs that have been proven effective in curbing crime among juvenile probationers and young at-risk offenders. This report summarizes outcome measures from each of the programs for fiscal year 2007-2008.

Jan 1, 2010
Report

Final Report on State and Local Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act Finds Parents Largely Unaware of Options

A key aim of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is to provide school choice or supplemental educational services to predominantly low-income parents whose children are attending Title I schools identified for improvement, but in recent years only a small fraction of families have taken advantage of these options.

Jan 19, 2009
Report

Report Quantifies Level of Disadvantage Faced by Boys and Men of Color in California

The first multi-dimensional effort to quantify the disparities faced by African-American and Latino boys and men in California across a broad spectrum of health and social factors provides a disquieting outlook for their lives.

Jan 4, 2009
Journal Article

Substance Use and Delinquency Among Fifth Graders Who Have Jobs

Working for pay is associated with substance use and delinquency among older adolescents, although information is scant about younger youth who work. This study investigates associations between self-reports of having a job and substance use and delinquent behaviors in a sample of U.S. 5th graders.

Jan 1, 2009
Research Brief

Evaluating the Spirituality for Kids After-School Program

This research brief summarizes the effect of the Spirituality for Kids (SFK) program on a variety of outcomes. SFK positively affected nearly every domain tested. The study is first to show a causal link between spiritual development and resilience.

Apr 24, 2008
Report

Miscommunication Hindered Student Participation in Programs Created by NCLB

Student participation in school choice programs authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act was hindered because parents did not receive clear and timely communication from schools.

Feb 25, 2008

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RAND Topic:
After-School Programs

Research conducted by

RAND Education and Labor