Unfortunately, the Budget Committee report relies on outdated research from more than nine years ago when discussing evidence of the program’s effectiveness. More recent research on 21^st CCLC has found positive academic, behavioral and cognitive outcomes, providing solid evidence that millions of students have benefited from 21^st CCLC in the past decade.

In the 2013 compendium "Expanding Minds and Opportunities," Heather Weiss of the Harvard Family Research Project discusses the value of the early 21^st CCLC evaluations to better understand policy goals and implementation efforts, focusing on the tremendous progress that has been made in the past 15 years. She states:

“Strategic investments in evaluation research over the past 15 years have yielded significant evidence that 21^st Century Community Learning Centers and high quality programs that serve children and youth during the non-school hours are essential for preparing young people for the future….In 15 years, the afterschool field has built substantial research and evaluation literature that is serving as a driver for more high quality programs and opportunities around the country.” 

Afterschool programs keep young people safe, improve academic performance and help working families across America. Studies have shown that quality programs give students the academic, social and career-ready skills they need to succeed. Students who regularly attend have better grades and behavior in school, better peer relations and emotional well-being, and lower incidences of drug use, violence and unintended pregnancy.  For example, research in 2011 and 2012 from Texas, Indiana and Wisconsin state education departments found that teachers report that students regularly participating in 21^st Century Community Learning Centers show improvements in homework completion, class participation, attendance, behavior in class, and reading and math achievement scores and grades.  A separate 2013 study out of University of California, Irvine’s School of Education found that regular participation in afterschool programs helped to narrow the achievement gap between high-income and low-income students in math, improved academic and behavioral outcomes, and reduced school absences. 

• Based on teacher reports of students who needed to improve academically and regularly attended a 21^st CCLC program, an evaluation of Indiana’s 21^st CCLC program found that 69 percent made improvements over the course of the school year (Center for Evaluation & Education Policy, 2012)
• Ninety-four percent of middle school students attending 21^st CCLC programs in Pinellas County, Florida, maintained or showed growth in language arts (compared to 59 percent of non-participants), 84 percent maintained or showed growth in math (compared to 62 percent of non-participants) and 85 percent maintained or showed growth in science (compared to 40 percent of non-participants). (Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, 2011)
• Wisconsin teacher-reported improvements in behavior reflect that more than half of all regular 21^st CCLC attendees improved in behaving well in class (53 percent), class participation (66 percent), being attentive in class (57 percent) and homework completion (66 percent). (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2010)

With both the Budget Committee report and the president’s budget proposal being released this week, now is the perfect time to take action. House and Senate appropriations committees are holding hearings in the coming weeks to potentially discuss this report and details of the president’s education budget request. Friends of afterschool programs can contact their Members of Congress to express support for 21^st CCLC and federal funding for afterschool programs.

What does “quality” mean?

One of my favorite frameworks that outline expanded learning quality is the research-based Learning in Afterschool and Summer principles, which assert five core learning principles that should define afterschool programs:

1. Learning that is active
2. Learning that is collaborative
3. Learning that is meaningful
4. Learning that supports mastery
5. Learning that expands horizons

Such qualities for learning are consistent with notions of quality science and quality STEM learning.  I share this to make one simple point: quality expanded learning programs work, and notions of quality STEM learning are completely consistent with notions of quality expanded learning programs.

Here in California, there is a lot of work under way to support STEM learning in expanded learning programs.  One of such efforts was a project called JumpStarting STEM, which was administered by my organization, the California AfterSchool Network, with generous funding from the California Department of Education.  The project sought to connect afterschool programs to curricular resources and professional development to support STEM learning.  The expanded learning programs, in turn, offered the STEM learning opportunities they were trained on once or twice per week to their students for 30 weeks. A rigorous evaluation of the project found that:

• Program directors and site coordinators saw student engagement as the number one success of implementing STEM learning.
• Desired STEM outcomes are linked to overall program quality, and the quality of relationships in the program.

Therefore, achieving desired STEM outcomes can't be separated from youth development principles of positive relationship building and general elements of program quality, specifically engaging and active learning experiences. Such outcomes for STEM are supported by a recent study commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance, Defining Youth Outcomes for STEM Learning in Afterschool, which expresses that afterschool programs can be instrumental in increasing student interest, engagement and identification with STEM.

Supports for quality afterschool STEM

Click2SciencePD is an online professional development resource for out-of-school-time providers. It features training videos and activity guides.

It may go without saying that the quality of STEM learning opportunities improves with professional development.  A recent article in the Afterschool Matters journal, Learning from Science: Case Studies of Science Offerings in Afterschool Programs, highlights a study on afterschool programs in California. The article outlines important site-based factors that shape high-quality afterschool science activities.  These factors include time, staff capacity, instructional materials and support through external partnerships.  The authors outline the benefits of professional development to support science teaching and learning in their study, noting, “in the few cases where facilitators had received some training in science content and inquiry practices—and had acquired some confidence in implementing inquiry-based activities—their science activities were more open ended, allowing children to explore on their own and engage in reflective discussions.” If programs are committed to prioritizing quality STEM learning, they must also apply the resolve needed to provide quality support to their staff.  Professional development resources such as Click2SciencePD are absolutely vital to advancing quality STEM learning.   

Programs must also commit to quality STEM learning beyond training.  If we want to do this right, we have to support our staff with preparation time. Quality STEM learning activities offer time for student reflection.  Engineering challenges allow students the opportunity to design and redesign. Similarly, expanded learning programs with a quality STEM component must offer program staff the time to reflect on and improve their practice, and to adapt their plans based on what they learn. Because overall program quality contributes to STEM outcomes, we see this essential step of taking the time at the site and program levels to reflect and adapt STEM learning opportunities based on what programs learn through implementation. One of our JumpStarting STEM partners shared with us that because of the training they had received in STEM implementation, they were applying more inquiry-based, facilitative approaches to learning throughout their entire program. This is how the California AfterSchool Network is working to advance expanded learning quality through the lens of STEM.

Creating a plan

Program leaders must also do the work of assessing the assets and needs of multiple partners and creating a plan to implement STEM programming that is appropriate to their context. The plan should focus on increasing students interest and engagement, ensuring that each of their activities are purposeful in support of their plan, and links cohesively to what students are learning (where applicable) in the core instructional day.  Program leaders must also seek the resources, tools, and partnerships needed to make such a plan successful. The California AfterSchool Network has created assessment and planning tools as well as a website offering access to quality resources to support STEM learning in expanded learning programs through its leadership in the Power of Discovery: STEM².

Visit the Power of Discovery: STEM² website for a wealth of resources on developing and sustaining high-quality STEM programming.

• Case Studies on Badges in Action—includes highlights from Chicago Summer of Learning and Providence After School Alliance’s badge efforts.
• Global Kids Badging System—since 2008, Global Kids has worked with partners in New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York City to develop and implement digital badging systems in classrooms, afterschool programs, and informal learning settings. 
• New York City’s YMCA badge for physical activity—designed to motivate, recognize and reward young people’s MVP (moderate to vigorous physical activity) levels while helping them to create life-long healthy habits.
• Sitter University—an online professional development program to prepare early childhood caregivers and educators.

Additional budget justification provides more detail on the proposal.  Note that this proposal reflects the president’s request for how funds should be allocated and does not carry the weight of law.  The Senate and House are expected to begin their FY2015 appropriations process later this month.  

The Afterschool Alliance supports 21^st CCLC funds being directed by formula to all states to in turn support high-quality afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs that focus on hands-on, engaged learning that complements and enhances but does not replicate the traditional school day.  While not mentioned in the education budget document, the Afterschool Alliance feels strongly that 21^st CCLC funding should continue to support the partnerships between schools and community-based organizations that help children improve academically, socially and behaviorally while parents are at work.  21^st CCLC currently works through competitions at the state level to ensure quality programs are funded; however changing the program as proposed by the president to a national competition will likely result in states and communities that do not have access to these important funds for afterschool and summer learning programs. Furthermore, while adding time to the school day or year has yielded positive results under particular circumstances, such programs would be better served by a separate funding stream. For more information on expanded learning, see our expanded learning resource page.

Additional Education Department funding that supports afterschool and summer includes $14.4 billion (level with FY2014) for Title I and $100 million for Promise Neighborhoods. The Successful, Safe and Healthy Students program would consolidate safe and drug free schools activities as well as school counseling and the Physical Education Program into one $214 million program. The Department of Education’s budget summary is online.

Other budget news for the afterschool community:

High School Redesign

The budget provides $150 million for a new program to redesign high schools to focus on providing students with challenging, relevant learning experiences, and reward schools that build new partnerships with colleges, employers, and other partners to enhance instruction and to help develop the knowledge and skills students need for success in today’s economy.

Race to the Top for Equity and Opportunity

The budget also proposes a new $300 million Race to the Top (RTT) grant competition that would “drive comprehensive change in how states and districts identify and close opportunity and achievement gaps,” according to the Education Department. Grants would enhance data systems to sharpen the focus on the greatest disparities and invest in strong teachers and leaders in high-need schools. Among the interventions the new RTT could fund are strategies that mitigate the effects of concentrated poverty, such as expanded learning time, access to rigorous coursework, and comprehensive student supports. An underlying goal is to measure the success of these strategies and use the results to support continuous program improvement.

National Service

Overall, the president’s budget requests $1.05 billion for the Corporation for National and Community Service and its programs, which is slightly above the FY2014 enacted level. The budget funds a record 114,000 AmeriCorps members and provides new benefits to seniors who serve through AmeriCorps. This number includes an estimated 75,000 AmeriCorps state and national members (an increase of 4,000 from this year); 30,000 members who will transition from the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs; 7,800 AmeriCorps VISTA members; and 1,200 AmeriCorps NCCC members.   

Child Care Development Fund (CCDF)

The budget includes an $807 million increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG)—up from a proposed increase of $700 million last year.  For the increase, $57 million is discretionary funding and $750 million is mandatory funding. The discretionary funds include funds available to states by formula to increase child care quality.

Community Service Block Grant (CSBG)

The budget cuts funding for CSBG by almost half, providing just $350 million for FY2015. The budget proposes to use a competition to target the funds to high-performing agencies that are most successful in meeting important community needs.

Juvenile Justice

The budget renews efforts to promote juvenile justice and prevent youth violence. The budget provides $308 million for the Department of Justice's juvenile justice programs and includes evidence-based investments to prevent youth violence, including $16 million to fund the Community-Based Violence Prevention Initiative to provide grants to replicate successful community-based interventions to control shootings and other serious gang violence, and $4 million for the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, which provides assistance for selected communities across the nation to develop and implement youth violence strategies. The budget also includes $9 million for the Juvenile Justice Realignment Incentive Grants, which, in tandem with the $28 million proposed for Juvenile Accountability Block Grants, will assist states that are pursuing evidence-based juvenile justice system alignment to foster better outcomes for young people, less costly use of incarceration and increased public safety. The proposal includes several positives, including the restoration of JABG funding, which was eliminated in the final FY2014 budget.  Further, the budget proposes $53 million for the Youth Mentoring Initiative, a cut from the $82 million appropriated in 2014.

The budget proposes a comprehensive reor­ganization of STEM education programs to increase the impact of federal investments in four areas: K-12 instruc­tion, undergraduate education, graduate fellowships, and education activities that typically take place outside the classroom—all with a focus on increasing participation and opportunities for individuals from groups histori­cally underrepresented in these fields. The new STEM Innovation program has a proposed funding level of $320 million. Further details should become available on the impact on afterschool STEM education programs funded by science mission agencies such as NASA in the proposed STEM education re-organization plans. 

Take Action!

The budget request now goes to Congress, where budget and appropriations deliberations for FY2015 are getting underway.  House and Senate appropriations committees are holding hearings in the coming weeks to hear details of the education budget request from Sec. Duncan.  Friends of afterschool programs can contact their Members of Congress to express support for 21^st CCLC and federal funding for afterschool programs.

You won’t find out how to build a spaceship here, or why the sky is blue. But you will find much of what you need to get past any hesitation regarding whether you or your afterschool staff is ready to lead kids in life-changing science activities.

The folks behind the site (University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Noyce Foundation) identified 20 essential skills you need to lead great science inquiry. I believe that if program leaders develop these 20 skills, they’ll be able to convert any day and any activity into a science session, just by having the confidence to coach kids to observe, ask questions and experiment.

The 20 essential skills fall into three categories:

1. How to plan STEM activities
2. How to interact with kids doing STEM
3. How to build STEM skills

In each category, Click2Science supplies you with learning modules that take you step-by-step through a process that might include watching an overview video; paying special attention to aspects of what the leader and students are doing; posting responses to questions about what you saw; then following up with discussion questions at your program.

There are more varieties of resources here than I can cover in a blog post. Dig around and share your feedback with the site developers, who are still in building mode.

I can tell you what excites me most as a STEM coach: I can use this site to extend training well beyond anything I could convey in an in-person coaching session or site visit. If I model a skill in a training session, I can send trainees to multiple videos here that reinforce that skill. If I visit a program and observe that staff members need to strengthen specific skills, I can send them to relevant learning modules. And because it’s Web-based, I can continue the discussion with them.

Or, I could give trainees an assignment in advance of a coaching session: Watch this video, answer these questions, and we’ll build from there. Think how much more ground we’ll be able to cover.

As I well know, not everyone can come to TASC to get STEM training. This site answers a demand I hear constantly from program directors for high-quality trainings they can lead themselves, wherever and whenever they can bring their staff together. Click2Science has great potential for schools and programs that are scattered over broad geographical areas, and need to conduct trainings through webinars or virtual discussions—explore the site today!