Key principles at the heart of quality expanded learning programs

One of the remarkable qualities of the afterschool field is its unique ability to be flexible and responsive to the specific needs of the young people and communities being served. A year-round gardening program where students grow fruits and vegetables, planning out plots, planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, and then selling their produce. An afterschool program teaching high school students how to effect change within their schools and communities through the power of photography. An intensive five-week summer program that teaches elementary and middle school students science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), as well as has weekly swim lessons and field trips to local science, cultural, and entertainment centers. This is a small sampling of the diverse nature of afterschool and summer programs that are tapping into young people’s interests, helping them find new passions, and building new skills and competencies.

Despite the array of programs available serving students from pre-kindergarten to 12^th grade and beyond, open before school, after school, on weekends, and during the summer, there is a core set of principles that are essential to ensure quality and consistency across all learning opportunities. An updated brief, “Key Principles of Expanded Learning Programs: How to Accelerate Learning and Help Young People Succeed,” walks through 10 principles that can help think through the best ways in which to support young people during the hours outside of the school-day, as well as guide expanded learning policy and implementation at the local, state, and federal levels. The key principles are:

• School-Community Partnerships: Strong partnerships between community organizations and schools are at the core of successful expanded learning programs. Characteristics include alignment of goals and services, clearly defined roles, effective lines of communication and coordination, and data and resource sharing.
   
• Active and Engaged Learning: Expanded learning programs that engage young people in meaningful and relevant experiential learning opportunities, providing activities that help students discover new areas of interest, take part in hands-on learning, explore career fields, and contribute to and lead in substantive ways are essential for successful programming.
   
• Diverse, Prepared Staff: The quality of an expanded learning program depends heavily on skilled, diverse staff, often involving a combination of in-school staff and community partners who reflect the community that they serve. Successful programs align staffing ratios, qualifications, and ongoing professional development with program goals and activities.
   
• Intentional Programming: Explicit goals and intentionally designed activities that align with those goals, engaging participants in meaningful ways and meeting their developmental and academic needs, are critical to the success of expanded learning programs.
   
• Participation and Access: Studies show that the frequency and duration of participation in expanded learning programs matter; the more young people participate, the more likely they are to improve academically and behaviorally. Access to programming that meets students’ needs and is age-appropriate, meaningful, and relevant will help them stay engaged in learning.
   
• Family Engagement: Expanded learning programs are well-positioned to regularly check in with parents and help schools stay connected to families, help parents navigate challenges, direct families to resources in the community, and provide peace of mind for working families knowing that their child is in a safe and structured setting.
   
• Youth Voice: When young people choose and direct their enrichment experiences, they become more ardent learners and stronger leaders, which can lead to regular and engaged participation.
   
• Safety: Adequate space, supervision, and security are necessary for young people to feel comfortable and have the freedom to focus solely on the task at hand, actively participate, and try new things. Creating a physically and emotionally safe space for students helps them build their confidence, work productively with peers, and feel that they belong and matter in the program.
   
• Health and Well-Being: The best expanded learning programs take a holistic approach to well-being, helping students connect with one another and build their communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. They also provide opportunities for physical activity and access to nutritious meals and snacks that might otherwise be unavailable.
   
• Ongoing Assessment and Improvement: Expanded learning programs that employ sound data collection and management practices focused on continuous improvement have the most success establishing and maintaining quality services for young people.

The brief also includes spotlights on programs demonstrating these key principles, as well as a feature on STEM learning programs. Find the brief, as well as additional resources to start, sustain, and run a program on Afterschool Alliance’s Program Toolbox.