While New Jersey is clearly making bold moves to improve public education, significant budget cuts have forced school districts to seek ways to do more with less.  Increasingly, school districts are looking at the out-of-school-time hours to meet their goals in a cost-effective way. 

In came the 10 afterschool programs that volunteered to participate in a year of working on this project with us.  They varied greatly: 21^st Century Community Learning Centers, the YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, and community education and faith-based expanded learning opportunity (ELO) providers all participated. 

Each program was asked to develop a vision and a project that would ultimately help prepare students for the challenges of the Common Core.  We supported their efforts by providing resources, guidance, introductory training and ongoing communication to answer any questions that arose. 

During the 2012-2013 school year, the 10 sites worked on reaching the goals of s3, which were to:

1. Get to know what the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are
2. Determine how the Common Core relates to their program

We wanted the programs to demonstrate linkages between the Common Core and their program activities.  We also hoped that the work they did at their sites would lead to stronger relationships with principals and teachers. 

Ten different projects arose out of the groups that signed up to participate.  They varied from working on professional development for the ELO and school day staff, to developing clubs that specifically addressed a particular grade group’s English/language arts and math standards, such as STEM and chess clubs.  One program used their year of work to educate the students and families about what the expectations will be when the Common Core becomes fully implemented.

NJSACC supported these goals with professional development and prescriptive technical assistance based on each site’s project.  Below is a program snapshot that gives more detail about the work that took place.

South Brunswick Community Ed/Club 678, operated by the Board of Education/Community Education Office, has 80 students participating in the afterschool program and is staffed by a team of eight.  The program is fee-based and receives a small number of grants to support its mission.

The afterschool program’s vision for the s3 team was to work with the administration at two local middle schools, providing afterschool support and resources in the areas where the school could use assistance meeting the CCSS for afterschool program participants.

To do this, the s3 team—made up of the afterschool director, site director and school curriculum specialist—did the following:

• Evaluated existing afterschool activities related to the CCSS
• Identified the potential to enhance the scope of activities that provide greater support for academic success and engagement
• Implemented new clubs and designed lessons with intent to address the CCSS
• Enhanced the existing homework club, and based on collaboration with the school, identified 31 students to participate

Major takeaways after one year of work on the s3 project are:

• Build strong relationships between afterschool and school day staff.  Relationships between afterschool and school day staff need to be strong and communication should flow well and frequently.  Student information should be shared in a way that is appropriate and with the intention to help children succeed.  It is important to establish and build relationships first—ELOs with established school relationships had more success communicating students’ academic needs.
• Professional development is a key factor in success.  Non-certified teaching staff have a greater challenge comprehending the CCSS, but it can be taught. Common Core implementation requires careful analysis and proper training for all involved.
• Trainings can be shared.  The staff working before 3 p.m. and after 3 p.m. need the same quality of professional development and can share the resources on both sides of the bell to help students.   
• Select the right staff.  Programs that choose staff with a strong interest in supporting student learning by connecting fun and engaging activities with academics have more success with students.
• Listen to your students.  Getting students interested in academic related activities was a challenge for programs at first.  Programs learned that students enjoy activities that include social elements, such as book discussions, as well as activities that they select and design themselves.  Giving students input and the opportunity to choose and create activities gets higher participation rates and has better outcomes for activity success.

Not only are our FIRST students in Camdenton introduced to STEM concepts, they are able to see the connection between what they're learning in the classroom and the real world beyond.  FIRST gives students answers to questions that sometimes stop them from getting started: “Why do I need to learn science, technology, engineering or math?" and "Why do I need to understand this concept?

The Camdenton 4-H LASER (Laker Afterschool Science Engineering & Robotics) team works closely with technical mentors—expert engineers, fabricators, graphic artists, Web designers and computer programmers.  They work with local business leaders who help them understand all aspects of a business and what it is like to work for a company.  The only way the team can succeed is if everyone works together toward one common goal.  If one team member fails to do his or her job it impacts the success of the team as a whole, just like the real world.

The core values of "gracious professionalism^®" and "coopertition^®" interwoven in FIRST are what the coaches and I, as well as the Camdenton R-III school district, value most.  It is part of the ethos of FIRST; a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others and respects individuals and the community.  With gracious professionalism, fierce competition and mutual gain are not separate notions.  Coopertition, or displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition, is built on the idea that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other, even as they compete.  Both of these values become a way of life that carries over into students' daily lives.

The Challenges of Rural Afterschool Programs

Camdenton is a decidedly rural community, but with a few unique aspects.  The population of the town is 3,200, but we have 4,200 K-12 students on campus between the hours of 8:00 am and 3:00 pm daily, because the school district covers 372 square miles.  There is little industry and no big corporations to support the robotics teams.  FIRST was implemented at Camdenton in 2009 with 21 high school members and three adult mentors.  In the four short years since, the program has grown to include an additional 250 students in grades 4-12 and will expand next year with the addition of the Junior FIRST LEGO League program for students in grades 1-3.  The growth is extraordinary, testimony to what the program means to our students, our school and our community.  In fact, the elementary teams are formed using a lottery system, because demand surpasses the school's resources of space, staffing and financing.  With respect to the latter—money—we face a particular challenge rooted in our rural setting: We have to travel to Kansas City or St. Louis to compete (three hours one-way.)

We're fortunate that the Camdenton R-III School District and community have embraced FIRST.  Camdenton Optimist member and STEM Alliance organizer John Albright says that “FIRST has been life-changing for many of the youth that participate in Camdenton’s afterschool program.  One hundred percent of the graduating seniors have gone on to universities and are majoring in STEM-related fields for the last four years!  What an incredible testament to the community, school, mentors and coaches.  Our students are being accepted at some of the most prestigious colleges in the United States because of their involvement with FIRST robotics.”

The Camdenton 4-H LASER teams have to be creative to operate.  With no large corporate sponsorship, the students and mentors rely heavily on 21^st Century Community Learning Centers (21CCLC) funding to support their STEM efforts.  The team also wrote successful NASA and Boeing grant proposals to help pay competition fees.  Other sponsorship includes local business such as Sakelaris Ford, which sponsors the team’s largest fundraising effort.  Numerous other businesses provide funding, meals, mentors, materials and support. 

In an effort to repay the community for its incredible support of the afterschool program, the FIRST LASER teams from elementary to high school levels give back with service projects each year.  They've raised money for the Joplin Tornado Relief Fund to help Joplin High School form a robotics class after the 2011 F5 tornado destroyed their schools and community; they've also raised money for breast cancer research and to support a Citizens Against Domestic Violence children’s play room.  FIRST encourages teams to become involved with their community and always to leave the world a better place.

Providing opportunities that our students might not otherwise have in a rural area is what FIRST and our other afterschool programs are all about.  We want our youth to have options and the same opportunities that students from urban and metropolitan areas have in regard to STEM careers and exploration.  I want the fifth-grader who said she wants to be an astronaut to still be saying that when she's a high school senior.

Akron Public Schools Extended Learning program provides afterschool intervention in reading and math, along with enrichment activities in 27 elementary schools and three middle schools.  Many children who attend regularly score higher than their peers on state tests.  Desiree Bolden, manager of the Akron Public Schools Extended Learning program, also went on the trip and believes James leads by example.

Along with their Saturday flight from Cleveland to Miami, a swanky hotel room at the Mandarin Oriental and a seat on stage for the official presentation of James’ fourth NBA MVP trophy, the students were awarded with a trip to the beach and an ice cream party.  James also donated a car to the afterschool program to help raise some much-needed funds.

This rare weekend trip for the 10 students in Akron Public Schools Extended Learning program was a public display of the strength and diversity of James’ relationships—with family, with friends, with teammates, with Heat officials and coaches, and perhaps most importantly, with the Akron kids he was inspiring, mentoring and, on this special weekend, transporting. 

Before leaving the stage with his MVP trophy, James got a cheery salute from the Akron kids, those he promised not to let down, with anything he did on or off the court:

What does Common Core mean for afterschool?  Whether you agree or disagree with Common Core, these standards are the reality for students, families and educators in nearly every state.  While the goals of afterschool go well beyond academic support, given the importance of Common Core to educators and the ways in which Common Core will impact the learning experience for children and youth, the Common Core will surely affect afterschool providers as well.   

How can you help prepare afterschool programs and staff to support learning under the Common Core State Standards?

• Educate yourself about Common Core and the role of afterschool.  Achieve has a variety of resources on Common Core, including guides for elementary and secondary school leaders and guidance counselors.  In addition, there are briefs focused on the role of afterschool that share examples of programs and recommendations for supporting learning under the Common Core.
  • From the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): Connecting High-Quality Expanded Learning Opportunities and the Common Core State Standards to Advance Student Success
  • From the Forum for Youth Investment:  The Common Core Standards: What do they Mean for Out-of-School Time?
  • From the Partnership for Children and Youth: Linking Common Core and Expanded Learning
• Help parents better understand the Common Core and what it means for their children.  The National PTA and the Council of Great City Schools both have parent resources on Common Core available for download.  Given the strong relationship that afterschool providers have with parents and families, programs are well positioned to help educate parents about the Common Core.
  • National PTA’s Parents Guide to Student Success
  • Council of the Great City Schools’ Parent Roadmaps to Common Core
• Promote opportunities for professional development and sharing among afterschool staff and school staff.  Expanding Minds and Opportunities includes an article on Common Core and expanded learning that features a couple of examples:
  • In Wisconsin, district and local expanded learning programs are connecting with school curriculum online and directly with teachers.  Programs include current and retired teachers on their staff to facilitate effective engagement with schools and the academic content students are learning.
  • The New Jersey State Afterschool Network, NJSACC, in cooperation with the New Jersey State Department of Education, completed a statewide pilot training program on the Common Core for afterschool program leaders. Training sessions focused on how to align student activities and curriculum with the Common Core.
• Check out examples of afterschool providers who are helping students reach Common Core.
  • The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and America’s Promise Alliance have an upcoming webinar on May 6 that will explore the ways in which afterschool and summer programs can help students achieve under the Common Core standards.  Examples from New Jersey and Wisconsin will be highlighted and case studies, best practices and lessons learned will be featured. 

As the recognition of the valuable role that afterschool and summer programs play in supporting student learning continues to grow, it is essential that afterschool providers demonstrate how they can expand on and complement the learning that happens during the school day.  Throughout the rest of 2013 and beyond, we’ll be working to provide the afterschool community with resources related to Common Core and the role of afterschool in helping all students succeed in school and out.

Key findings from the “Out-of-School Time Survey” of superintendents include:

• 97% agree afterschool programs can improve student skills in reading
• 97% agree afterschool programs can improve student skills in math
• 95% agree afterschool programs improve academics
• 95% agree that afterschool programs are to offer a safe place for students
• 93% agree that afterschool programs can improve student skills in science
• 92% agree that afterschool programs increase social interactions, fun and/or engagement
• 82% agree that afterschool programs are to offer activities not present during the school day

These findings show afterschool programs are seen as a critical component to students’ academic achievement, safety and overall well-being.  This is very much in line with past surveys we have conducted and past surveys we have included in our fact sheets.  For instance, Afterschool Alliance’s 2012 election eve poll found that when presented with information that research shows afterschool programs can lead to increased attendance, improved behavior and grades, 89 percent of voters agree that afterschool programs are important.  If you’re interested in additional polling on afterschool, check out our Polling Data page.