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Extracurricular Activities

RAND research on out-of-school-time pursuits—e.g., after-school programs, summer school, and other efforts offered outside standard classroom hours—evaluates the effect of such activities on problems, from juvenile crime to obesity, and suggests ways to improve after-school programming.

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
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
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
Journal Article
Commercial Venues as Supports for Physical Activity in Adolescent Girls
The findings suggest that commercial PA facilities are important contributors to the accumulation of PA among adolescent girls.
Aug 1, 2007
Report
Los Angeles County Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act: Fiscal Year 2005-2006 Report
Success of intervention programs for probationers and participating youths is measured by the following outcomes: successful completion of probation, restitution, and community service; arrests; probation violations; and incarcerations.
Jul 29, 2007
Report
Students Benefit from Supplemental Education Under No Child Left Behind
Students in underperforming schools generally made statistically significant gains in math and reading after participating in supplemental educational services such as tutoring and remediation.
Jun 21, 2007
Journal Article
School Playgrounds Untapped Resource in Fight Against Childhood Obesity
School playgrounds and athletic facilities can be important tools in the fight against childhood obesity, but many are locked and inaccessible to children on weekends — especially in poor and minority neighborhoods.
Apr 30, 2007
Report
Los Angeles County Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act: Fiscal Year 2004-2005 Report
Success of intervention programs for probationers and participating youths is measured by the following outcomes: successful completion of probation, restitution, and community service; arrests; probation violations; and incarcerations.
Apr 1, 2007
Journal Article
Availability of High School Extracurricular Sports Programs and High-Risk Behaviors
Opportunities for participation in high school extracurricular sports are limited. Future studies should test whether increased opportunities will increase physical activity and impact the increasing overweight problem in youths.
Jan 1, 2007
Journal Article
Helping Because You Have to or Helping Because You Want To? Sustaining Participation in Service Work from Adolescence Through Young Adulthood
This article examines whether the motive behind community service performed during high school—either voluntary or required—influences engagement in volunteer work during the young adult years.
Dec 1, 2006
Research Brief
Making Out-of-School Time Matter
This research brief describes work documented in Making Out-of-School Time Matter (MG-242-WF).
Nov 25, 2005
Report
Evidence Mixed on Demand and Impact of Out-of-School Programs
Publicly funded before- and after-school programs have seen unprecedented growth in the past 20 years, but evidence is mixed on whether they influence academic achievement.
Jan 21, 2005
Report
Challenges and Potential of a Collaborative Approach to Education Reform
How has the Collaborating for Education Reform Initiative fared at the sites that have adopted it?
Sep 8, 2004
Commentary
Monitor After-School Programs Carefully
Now that California schools have access to up to $550 million in new assistance annually under Proposition 49 to fund after-school programs, wise choices need to be made to ensure the money will be used for programs that give children the maximum benefit, writes Megan Beckett in an commentary.
Jan 2, 2003
Journal Article
When and Where Do Youths Have Sex? The Potential Role of Adult Supervision
When and where youths have sex and whether there is a relationship between unsupervised time and sex, STDs, and substance use.
Jan 1, 2002

RAND Topic:
Extracurricular Activities

Topic Synonyms:
Out of School Time

Research conducted by

RAND Education and Labor