Publications & Research

Getting started with the Next Generation Science Standards: A primer and resource guide for afterschool educators (July 2016)

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STEM Ready America: Inspiring and Preparing Students for Success with Afterschool and Summer Learning (March 2017)

STEM Ready America, a compendium from 40 authors, presents the evidence for how afterschool STEM programs are preparing young people to be successful in school today and the workforce tomorrow. In addition to current research, the compendium includes real-world examples of effective practices, programs, and partnerships.

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Afterschool programs: At the STEM of learning (January 2008)

In order to better compete with their international peers in the 21st century, American students will need to be better prepared to work in the growing fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. This brief explains the ways in which afterschool can engage kids in the STEM fields.

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Afterschool and the Environment: A Natural Fit (January 2009)

Children have a wonderful curiosity about nature and the environment, which, if encouraged through afterschool activities can have a profound impact on their health and well-being. Children also take readily to concepts of conservation which will make them excellent stewards of the future of our environment. This issue brief explores the relationship between children's health, academic enrichment and community awareness through developing a relationship with the wonders of their natural environment.

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Afterschool: Middle school and STEM (September 2010)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second of four issue briefs in this series examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief highlights STEM learning as a critical component of 21st century education, and discusses how afterschool provides an ideal platform for building STEM learning in middle school.

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Publications & Research

Find Afterschool Alliance publications on STEM, as well as research & resources from the field.

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Afterschool: A vital partner in STEM education (May 2011)

This paper provides compelling reasons to include afterschool programs as integral partners in STEM education and highlights several existing models for providing infrastructure and building capacity to enable afterschool programs to facilitate high-quality STEM learning. By combining evaluation reports from afterschool programs with research findings that indicate an early interest in STEM careers is related to a pursuit of such careers, the paper presents a picture of how afterschool programs are contributing meaningfully to our nation's STEM education system.

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STEM learning in afterschool: An analysis of impact and outcomes (September 2011)

This report presents an analysis of evaluation data from afterschool STEM programs around the country. A review of the evaluation reports shows that high-quality STEM afterschool programs yields STEM-specific benefits such as improved attitudes towards STEM fields and careers, increased STEM knowledge and skills, and higher likelihood of graduation and pursuing a STEM career. The report demonstrates that afterschool programs are playing a key role in engaging children and youth from diverse communities in STEM fields and careers.

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Informal science learning and education: Definition and goals (2012)

Authors: Anita Krishnamurthi (Afterschool Alliance) & Leonie J. Rennie (Curtin University)

This paper relates informal science education to afterschool learning environments, comparing the goals of each space, and makes the case for an articulated set of outcomes for afterschool STEM learning. It is a commissioned paper from the National Academies, Board on Science Education's June 2012 summit on the assessment of informal and afterschool science education. 

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STEM learning in afterschool: Ready to soar (July/August 2012)

Authors: Anita Krishnamurthi & Ramya Sankar (Afterschool Alliance)

This article appeared originally in Association of Science-Technology Center’s (ASTC) Dimensions magazine. Reposted with permission from ASTC.

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