CloseUp
As kids across the U.S. head back to school this month they also head back to the after-school programs that bridge the critical gap between 3 and 6 pm. Some of these programs serve as a supplement to regular classroom learning, providing school-age children with both social and academic skills, while other programs serve primarily as a way to keep "kids off the street".
Researchers at nonprofits nationwide are tackling important questions about these often overlooked educational settings. What works in after-school programs? What barriers exist for students in accessing after-school education? How do we measure the impact of after-school programming? And what can and should we expect from out-of-school time?
We encourage you to dig into some of this eye-opening research, even if it's just to read the short summaries of the work presented here. With more than 11 percent of all school-aged children in the U.S. taking part in after-school programs (and millions more seeking to enroll), this topic is well-worth a closer look.
