It seems these days that if you’re keeping up with what’s happening in education, you can’t help but hear about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Last week, our vice president for policy and research, Jen Rinehart, wrote a stellar blog that not only walks you through what the Common Core State Standards are, but explains why they were developed, what they mean for education policy and the valuable role the afterschool field can play to support learning under the Common Core.
To keep up the Afterschool Alliance’s drumbeat of providing the afterschool field with helpful information connecting afterschool and the Common Core, I tuned in to “Leveraging Expanded Learning Opportunities to Support Common Core Implementation,” a webinar hosted by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and America’s Promise Alliance. The webinar featured Jenell Holsted, Ph.D. of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, who discussed a recent brief, “Making the Connection: Next Generation Learning and Expanded Learning Opportunities,” and Sarah Cruz, director of expanded learning opportunities at the Statewide Network for New Jersey’s Afterschool Communities (NJSACC), who shared information about New Jersey’s statewide pilot training program that helps providers align their programming with the Common Core State Standards.
What stood out most to me during the webinar was just how well-situated afterschool programs are to support students’ learning and growth under the Common Core. Jenell highlighted afterschool programs in Wisconsin that are helping their kids achieve under the Common Core in innovative and promising ways. For example, The Goodman Community Center, one program she reviewed, excels at connecting the afterschool program to learning that takes place during the school day. The afterschool program has eight school day teachers on staff who help develop academic enrichment activities using the CCSS; the program sends monthly newsletters to teachers at each school; and program staff attend Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings for students enrolled in the program, attend school functions and also observe their students during the school day. The program also collects data on their students’ grades, test scores, behavior and attendance to develop a portfolio for each student that identifies their needs and helps assess their progress. This individualized analysis not only monitors students’ progress, but it allows staff to most effectively help students develop mastery of subject content in areas such as reading and writing.
As a resource for afterschool programs that are looking to learn more about the Common Core and how to use it to complement their programming, NJSACC developed Supporting Student Success (S3). Sarah shared that NJSACC worked with 10 afterschool programs, providing webinar training and technical support to plan and implement program activities that support the Common Core, creating a community that facilitates peer-to-peer learning and administering assessment to look at the impact of the training. One example of an afterschool program taking part in the project was the 21st Century Community Learning Center in Pemberton, NJ. Through the project, the program created a reading program aligned with English language arts Common Core. However, the program made certain that the program content developed was engaging and looked different than reading taking place during the school day. For instance, reading groups were based on a student’s interest, rather than their reading level. The mixed reading level groups allowed students to help one another and become more enthusiastic about reading because it was tied to something relevant and meaningful in their lives. Sarah revealed that students in the program felt that participation made them more engaged in their classes during the school day and also helped them better understand what they were taught during the school day.
The webinar was one hour long, but I wish it could have been longer to hear more about these afterschool programs that show just how valuable the out-of-school hours are to the implementation of the Common Core and preparing students for success in school, college and career. On the bright side, there are a number of resources out there to learn more about the role afterschool programs can play to support the Common Core, and be sure to check back here as we continue to share more information related to the Common Core.
Kujanga Jackson, head of the Zone afterschool program for at-risk and under-performing students at Mark Twain Elementary in Tulsa, says he can see positive changes in students who have participated in the program. “I have a performance report that shows the students we've had in our program have improved academically, socially, behaviorally,” Jackson told the Tulsa World. “Socially, we're seeing the kids learn to function better in the classroom, better with their peers.”
Afterschool students at Lebanon High School competed in a taste-off last week. The afterschool students were challenged with finding nutritious recipes to create a complete meal. The winning recipe, mango chicken, will be served for lunch in the high school cafeteria! Organizers also announced that the runner up, Spanish chicken, will be served later this month.
Afterschool Ambassador and Dallas AfterSchool Network (DASN) CEO Tanya McDonald told the Dallas Business Journal that the Network is looking to expand area afterschool programs without sacrificing quality. The network helps 145 afterschool and summer programs in Dallas County achieve national quality standards. “As we help to create quality programs in the community, we want to work with those organizations to expand their capacity to serve more kids," McDonald said. "But we want to make sure that as spaces are added, they are high quality."
Fourteen afterschool students from the Teen Producers Academy at the Maysles Institute in Manhattan created a 20-minute film about the role gun violence has played in their Harlem community. "Triggering Wounds" premiered last week at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was nominated for Best Documentary in the "Our City, My Story” youth showcase.
While volunteering in my daughter’s kindergarten classroom recently, I noticed a stack of kindergarten math workbooks that proudly advertised, “Aligned with the Common Core State Standards.” It was a clear sign that the Common Core standards have arrived in classrooms across the country and a reminder to me that the Afterschool Alliance can help afterschool providers better understand Common Core and what roles afterschool stakeholders can play in supporting learning under the Common Core.
So what are the Common Core State Standards? They are a set of standards in reading/language arts and math that resulted from several years of collective thinking by teachers, researchers and leading experts in the education field about what students should know and be able to do in mathematics and English language arts. Prior to the Common Core, most states had their own individual sets of standards.
Why do the Common Core State Standards exist? Proponents of Common Core argue that with the adoption of the standards, students who move from state to state, and especially students in military families who might make multiple moves in a K-12 career, will have a smoother transition because the schools in each state will be working from the same set of high expectations about what kids in each grade should be able to do. They also point out that states can share instructional resources like textbooks and even assessments, which are currently under development and expected to be rolled out during the 2013-2014 school year. As you might imagine, there are alsoeducation leaders who question the value of Common Core, particularly since the Common Core were not pilot tested prior to roll out to nearly all states, and who view Common Core and the related assessments as costly (both for the country and our children’s futures) experiments in learning.
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.
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.
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.
Earlier this month, Champions® and the National AfterSchool Association released their second annual “Out-of-School Time Survey.” The survey found an overwhelming majority of elementary and middle school superintendents believe in the academic, social and behavioral benefits afterschool programs provide to their students. In addition to viewing afterschool programs as an environment where children can improve their core academic skills—such as reading, math and science—96 percent of superintendents agree that the most important afterschool programs improve study skills and more than 9 in 10 superintendents surveyed agree that the most important afterschool programs increase students’ social interactions and engagement (92 percent). More than 4 in 5 superintendents say that the most important afterschool programs are those that offer activities not present during the traditional school day (82 percent).
A key take away from this survey is that school superintendents understand the true value of afterschool programs and recognize that schools and students benefit from support of afterschool programs. Schools aren’t alone in the charge to ensure that all students receive a quality and well-rounded education. Afterschool programs are able and willing partners to prepare students for success in school, career and life.
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.
1 I wish it were true that superintendents valued afterschool programs. At the Euclid City Schools our Superintendent, Mr. Bell, just let our staff know at the after school program that they laying them all off for next school year. Very sad. -- Mary Brinovec
This week I was in Kansas City as a keynote speaker for the 2013 Best Practices Forum on Dropout Prevention, hosted by the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network. I was thrilled to be a part of the event and share with the audience the many ways the afterschool field is helping our students come to school, stay in school and graduate. Afterschool programs are an instrumental part of any effort to help our students not only graduate from high school, but prepare them for lifelong success and help shape the adult he or she will become.
This is why I am so pleased with the newly released video (below) and guidebook by America’s Promise Alliance, “Expanding Learning, Expanding Opportunities.” Both the video and accompanying guidebook highlights the many ways expanded learning opportunities—including afterschool programs, summer learning programs, and expanded learning time—are providing our kids with opportunities to express themselves creatively, explore their interests and gain hands-on learning experiences they might not have during the school day. Also included are a variety of resources, such as research, best practices and toolkits to assist those interested in learning more about the out-of-school hours.
What happens outside of the classroom can be as important to a student as what happens inside of the classroom. Research has shown that kids in afterschool programs see improvements in their grades, school attendance and behavior in the classroom. Children also become more self-confident and develop higher self-esteem. Students in afterschool programs are also less likely to be victims or perpetrators of violence and working parents have peace of mind with the knowledge that their children are in a safe environment surrounded by caring adults.
Afterschool programs across the country are helping to keep kids safe, inspire learning and help working families. Yet, despite the wealth of research and stories we hear every day on the ways afterschool programs are supporting kids and families, we’ve found that afterschool programs are struggling to keep up their services and meet the demands for afterschool in their communities. Close to 8 in 10 voters want their newly elected federal, state and local officials to fund afterschool programs, and more than three-quarters of voters want them to provide more funding for afterschool programs given the current challenging economic environment.
I hope that you’ll lend your voice to the thousands of other voices speaking out about the crucial role afterschool programs play in making sure our children stay safe, stay in school, and stay excited and engaged in learning. This new guidebook and video from America’s Promise Alliance can be a great tool for engaging others in your community in better understanding and valuing the role of afterschool and ideally get them to lend their voices as well.
“Perhaps the most critical decision parents make in balancing their work and home life is choosing the type of care to provide for their children while they work.” We at the Afterschool Alliance couldn’t agree more with this statement by Lynda Laughlin, author of a Census Bureau report released last week analyzing child care patterns and costs. A positive and encouraging finding of the report is that the percentage of school-age kids who have no regular child care arrangement—kids in self-care—has decreased, and this is particularly true of children with a single, employed parent.
“Who’s Minding the Kids? Child Care Arrangements: Spring 2011” examined the Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data to determine the child care arrangements of preschoolers (children under 5) and school-age kids (children ages 5 to 14) and found that between 1997 and 2011, the percentage of school-age children in self-care who lived with a single, employed parent decreased from 24 percent to 14 percent. One explanation offered for this decrease was increased investment in afterschool programs. This rationale is highly probable, given that federal funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers—the only federal funding dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs—was first appropriated $40 million in 1998, and has grown to $1.1 billion for FY2013 and serves approximately 1.1 million kids.
Another noteworthy finding from the report is that the cost of child care has increased over time, although the average percentage of family income spent on child care stayed constant, hovering around 7 percent, between 1997 and 2011. The average weekly cost of child care for families with employed mothers increased from $84 in 1985 (constant 2011 dollars) to $143 in 2011. Looking specifically at school-age care costs, the report finds that the average cost for school-age care was $124 in 2011. Among families living below the poverty line, the average weekly cost for school-age child care was $88, or nearly one-third of the family’s income. Of particular concern is the fact that among families who paid for child care, those below the poverty line spent more than four times the percentage of their income on school-age child care as other families who were living at or above the poverty line (29 percent compared with 6 percent).
Based on these cost figures, it seems safe to assume that families are not getting much help with their child care costs. In fact, only 5 percent of families report receiving help paying for school-age child care and just 3 percent report that they received help from the government.
While there is some good news regarding self care in the report, it is troubling that there are 4.2 million kids, ages 5 to 14 and living with their mom, who didn’t have a regular child care arrangement. Five percent of kids ages 5 to 11 were on their own in 2011 and 27 percent of kids ages 12 to 14 were on their own. On average these kids spend 7 hours per week with no supervised care. These numbers are in line with findings from our 2009 America After 3PM report that 4 percent of kids in kindergarten through 5th grade and 30 percent of kids in 6th through 8th grade were on their own. Given the findings regarding the high cost of school-age care and the lack of assistance in paying for care, it’s not surprising that the number of kids in self-care, while on the decline, still continues to be high.
We know that the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol and other risky behaviors, which is why these numbers illustrate the need for increased investment in afterschool programs to ensure that more kids have the opportunity to participate in programs that will keep them safe, provide academic enrichment and support their working parents.
How kids spend their time during the hours after school is a primary concern for the Afterschool Alliance. I’m happy to share that we’re in the middle of planning for our next round of America After 3PM, the largest national household survey that looks at what kids are doing during the afternoon. The survey provides incredibly useful and relevant data for parents, the afterschool field and policy makers. I can’t wait to see what insights we gain from the survey this time around, especially taking into account the potential impact of sequestration on families, afterschool programs and communities. Stay tuned.
We know, based on numerous evaluations of 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), that children who participate in these afterschool programs, especially children who regularly attend the programs, show improvement in their academic performance, engagement in school and overall behavior. The recently released report by American Institutes for Research (AIR), Texas 21st Century Community Learning Centers: Year 2 Evaluation Report, adds to the body of evidence that shows afterschool programs are making a positive impact on children’s school day performance.
AIR’s evaluation found that students participating in the Texas 21st CCLC program—also known as Afterschool Centers on Education (ACE)—saw improvements in their Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) reading and math scores, fewer disciplinary incidents than non-participating students, fewer school absences, and an increased likelihood of being promoted to the next grade. One statistic I found to be especially impressive was regardless if a student regularly attended the ACE program, participants in 9th grade through 11th grade were significantly more likely to be promoted to the next grade. The report found that for students who attended the program 30 to 59 days, the likelihood of being promoted to the next grade increased by 79 percent. For students who attended the program 60 days or more, the likelihood of being promoted to the next grade increased by 97 percent.
The above statistic transitions nicely to another key finding of the study: regular attendance in the ACE program matters. Students who attended the ACE program for 60 days or more demonstrated better outcomes than their peers who participated in the program for 30 to 59 days. Students who attended the ACE program more frequently showed greater improvement in their TAKS reading and math scores, lower disciplinary incidents, fewer absences from school and a higher rate of grade promotion. AIR reported that when compared to students who attended the program for 30 to 59 days, the grade promotion rate for students who participated in the ACE program for 60 days or more was 23 percent to 40 percent higher.
Key findings from the report include:
Students in grades 4 through 11 participating in the ACE program were less likely to have disciplinary incidents compared to non-participants. Compared to non-participants, attending the ACE program for less than 30 days decreased the rate of disciplinary incidents by 6 percent, and attending the program for at least 60 days decreased the rate of disciplinary incidents by 11 percent.
ACE program low attendees—students who participated in the program at least 30 days—in the 4th through 11th grades saw a 14 percent decrease in the rate of being absent and high attendees—students who participated in the program for at least 60 days—saw a 15 percent decrease in absences when compared to non-participants. Both low- and high-attending students in the 9th through 11th grades saw a greater reduction in absences, 19 percent and 18 percent respectively.
Both low and high attendees of the ACE program saw a significant increase in likelihood of being promoted to the next grade. For grades 4-5 and 7-11, low attendees were 43 percent more likely to be promoted to the next grade compared to non-attendees, and high attendees were 47 percent more likely to be promoted to the next grade.
Among low attendees in 9th grade through 11th grade, the likelihood of being promoted to the next grade increased by 79 percent. Among high-attending high school students, the likelihood of being promoted to the next grade increased by 97 percent when compared to students not participating in the program.
ACE programs characterized as having a high point of service (POS) quality had a greater effect in terms of supporting a decrease in disciplinary incidents and supporting student grade promotion.
Another important aspect of the study is the discussion surrounding the types of instructional approaches associated with high-quality activities. In addition to finding that high program quality was related to better student outcomes, the report outlined that a program’s clarity of purpose, the intentional use of time, and an active and interactive instructor were the three types of approaches associated with high-quality activities. Quality improvement is an ongoing and iterative process, and these tools can help afterschool programs continue to provide the best programming and support to ensure their students’ future success.
Despite the evidence demonstrating that 21st CCLC programs have a positive effect on children’s academics, behavior and school attendance, the House budget currently extends the 5 percent sequestration cuts, reducing funding for the 21st CCLC program by approximately $57.9 million. This cut will mean that close to 58,000 kids will lose the ability to participate in an afterschool or summer learning program. If you’re interested in learning what you can do to help take action against these cuts, visit our Policy & Action Center.
On March 14, Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui announced a plan to develop a new statewide initiative to enhance the learning experience of intermediate and middle school students during the afterschool hours. According to the lieutenant governor’s office, the Hawaii Intermediate/Middle School Challenge will provide a comprehensive social and educational foundation that will enrich the lives of intermediate/middle school students throughout Hawaii through a broad base of programs and activities, outside of regular instructional hours. The program seeks to include academic enrichment, arts and culture, and sports and will be designed to help prepare students for high school, college, the workforce and their communities.
The new initiative addresses the need to keep young people safe and engaged during the hours immediately following school. Afterschool programs are shown to increase or improve school attendance, behavior and coursework—all key indicators in whether a middle school student will graduate. Furthermore, studies show that crimes committed by or against juveniles occur with greater frequency on schools days and roughly between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m.
The Hawaii Intermediate/Middle School Challenge was inspired by After-School All-Stars Hawaii, a comprehensive, high quality afterschool program for middle school students that provides free, engaging afterschool programming that helps young people succeed in school and in life. The program serves middle school youth ages 12-15 during the afterschool hours of 3 to 6 p.m. at eight middle schools on Oahu. Students from After-School All-Stars joined the lieutenant governor for the announcement.
According to the lieutenant governor’s office, effective and positive afterschool programs provide not only an educational benefit to students but also a social value to the overall community by reducing juvenile crime. Hawaii has long focused on providing afterschool programs to elementary and high school students, however successful programs for intermediate/middle school students are sporadic and decentralized. Last October the Department of Education introduced the Intermediate Athletics Pilot program, to be piloted in the Zones of School Innovation (ZSI) in the Nanakuli-Waianae complex and the Kau-Keaau-Pahoa complex on Hawaii Island. The new Hawaii Intermediate/Middle School Challenge initiative adds a comprehensive program for intermediate/middle schools with the support and guidance to implement effective and positive afterschool programs statewide. The announcement pointed to strong school-community partnerships as an important part of the initiative going forward.
The Hawaii Intermediate/Middle School Challenge will start immediately after the school day ends and is intended to be a comprehensive and structured statewide program to fill the gap of youth activities available to students between the 6th and 8th grades. Programs offered will be from three general categories—academic enrichment, arts and culture, and sports. Currently the majority of existing intermediate/middle school programs is supported by unpredictable federal funding; a more reliable source of funding would provide greater stability for the programs, as well as greater participation. Accordingly, using a community based approach the program will seek to utilize available federal and state funds while also partnering with schools, parents and the private sector to provide funding and resources to facilitate the program’s success. The partnership with these stakeholders will ensure that the afterschool programs will be well established in their respective communities and will likely be financially sustainable for the long-term.
Program goals include:
Continuing the Department of Education’s vision of utilizing a school-community network approach to engage community-wide support and responsibility for intermediate/middle school students’ education, health and well-being.
Providing students at all intermediate/middle schools within the state the opportunity to participate in before- or afterschool programs that will enrich and encourage student growth in academics, personal responsibility and maturity, creativity, and the development of social skills.
Reducing the number of student dropouts by providing a seamless transition of afterschool programs that promote student participation in school-related functions from elementary through high school.
Providing health, fitness, educational and social enrichment opportunities to intermediate/middle school students.
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