Resource Database

Afterschool professionals may have resources to support students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but do they know how to help staff members with ADHD be successful? This blog post from the National Afterschool Association provides insights on how adults with ADHD can work with the disorder and be focused in the workplace.

A new book, The Growing Out-of-School-Time Field: Past, Present, and Future, looks at how the out-of-school time (OST) field has evolved and matured over the past two decades. The Afterschool Alliance has hosted two webinars to present topics and authors from the book. Part I explores positive youth development, supporting children from underserved communities, and the role of research in the field. Part II looks at professional development and where the OST movement is headed in the future.

Mayors and city council members can be powerful advocates for afterschool programs, especially if they understand the connections between afterschool programs and positive youth outcomes. This article from the National AfterSchool Association outlines strategies for getting municipal officials on your side to sustain and support afterschool programs.

A new RAND publication reviews the outcomes and benefits of out-of-school time programs. The report presents evidence suggesting that out-of-school-time programs can generate three kinds of benefits: academic gains, enriching experiences, and safety and homework help. Benefits depend on the type of programming offered and how long it is offered. The report also includes recommendations on ways afterschool programs can achieve their desired outcomes.

This publication from the American Youth Policy Forum discusses how afterschool programs can help prepare youth for college and careers in STEM fields. The publication includes evidence and real-world examples that afterschool programs can use to inform partnerships and programming in this area.

This Forum Brief from the American Youth Policy Forum provides an archive of a recent event on career and technical education (CTE). Presentation materials include leading research on CTE and analysis of the evolving workforce needs, which have influenced the development of innovative CTE strategies. There are also links to CTE programs and summaries.

NASA Space Place is a science website that provides upper-elementary-aged students with opportunities to learn about space and Earth science through interactive games, hands-on activities, articles, and short videos. Students may also move between English and Spanish text on the website with just one click.

This AIR report that was published by the Wallace Foundation reviews research on arts integration, activities that leverage the arts to improve student outcomes. The report also identifies arts integration activities that qualify for federal education funding. These findings may be useful for schools or expanded learning programs that are seeking new opportunities to offer arts integration through the Every Student Succeeds Act.

The Afterschool Alliance surveyed 365 afterschool providers on their perceptions of public libraries, what kinds of partnerships they have, as well as ideas for future growth. The report includes key findings, challenges to partnerships, opportunities for STEM, and recommendations for growing partnerships.

A recent issue of Afterschool Matters, a publication of the National Institute on Out-of-School Time, has several articles relevant to Illinois 21st CCLC grantees. Topics include STEM making and learning, factors that influence employees’ commitment to out-of-school time work, and how teens perceive agency in youth development programs.