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New report from the Wallace Foundation: Strategies to scale up

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New report from the Wallace Foundation: Strategies to scale up

The question of how to scale up—taking a successful program, project, or policy and growing it to expand its reach and therefore its impact—has been an important one when thinking about systems change. It is a key component in efforts to make sustainable, positive social gains; a subject highly relevant to the afterschool field. Commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, the study, “Strategies to Scale Up Social Programs: Pathways, Partnerships and Fidelity,” takes a close look at the strategic decisions made by 45 programs—ranging in focus from education to the environment—that helped them expand their reach and bring their services to a greater number of people. Key takeaways from the report include:

Pathways, partnerships, and fidelity. The three interrelated strategic choices common to scale up efforts are:

  1. Pathways - the decision of how to scale
  2. Partnerships - whom to partner with and how
  3. Fidelity - how a scale up effort does or does not change or adapt as new partners or communities implement the scale up

Partnerships are critical in scaling up efforts. While funders were identified as core partners by almost all of the programs included in the study, partnerships provided scaling up efforts more than funding. From consultation expertise to volunteers and from infrastructure to implementation, the programs reviewed relied on the support of their partners.

Find the right balance. Finding the right balance between program fidelity and adaptation can help ensure that the scaling up effort is meeting the needs of the community while at the same time maintaining its effectiveness.

What does this look like?

A number of afterschool programs and their scaling up efforts were included among the 45 programs examined, including Girls on the Run, Higher Achievement, and WINGS. The report features several strategies programs employed in their scaling up efforts—here’s a summary of one effort in particular:

WINGS, an afterschool program focused on helping to build students’ social and emotional learning skills, started small. Founded by Ginny Deerin, whose goal was to help kids develop the skills to be healthy, happy, and confident teens, WINGS used a branching pathway in its scaling up approach. In a branching pathway, a lead partner organization increases its capacity to offer its program at new locations and/or to new groups—in WINGS’ case, expansion was made possible through foundation support, including multi-year grants from The Wallace Foundation, the NoVo Foundation, and the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation.

WINGS employs a “careful process of identifying their expansion sites” to decide if a site is ready. Milestones such as the creation of a regional advisory board and a funding commitment from a mix of groups including schools, foundations, and individuals help mark the progress of a site. WINGS also closely monitors the fidelity of implementation and outcomes at each of its new sites. The schools in which the programs operate are the program’s biggest partners, as well as local organizations, like Junior Achievement, that offer afterschool enrichment activities.

Over the course of a decade, the program has expanded from one initial school to serving 11 schools in three states, reaching more than 1,600 kids a day.

To learn more, you can find the full report on The Wallace Foundation’s website. If you are an organization looking for in-depth information that details how effective social programs have successfully scaled up, this report a must-read.

Superintendents reflect on American Rescue Plan spending as funds expire

With the September 30 obligation deadline for American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars having passed, policymakers are reflecting on the usage and efficacy of these critical pandemic relief funds. In a newly released report from AASA, The School Superintendents Association, more than 600 superintendents...

BY: Alana Edmond      11/04/24

The latest research on the impact of afterschool and summer programs

A 2023 U.S. Department of Education report on 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) programs nationally found that nearly half of participating students who were chronically absent the previous year improved their school-day attendance in the current school year, while a meta-analysis...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      09/30/24

Braiding pandemic relief funds to increase afterschool and summer opportunities

School districts continue to leverage American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to support students in afterschool and summer programs. Two new spotlights, Chickasaw City Schools and Tuscaloosa City Schools. take a closer look at how two school...

BY: Liana Shivers      06/21/24

How are high-poverty school districts’ spending their American Rescue Plan funds on afterschool and summer programs?

In New Jersey’s East Orange School District, students from families with low incomes benefitted from expanded enrichment and academic support, thanks to the district’s investment of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in afterschool and summer programs. For example, the district was able...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/23/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

A recent report on pandemic relief funds showed the numerous ways that school districts are using federal funds to support students with afterschool and summer learning opportunities. A new spotlight dives deeper into one example in Minnesota and how St. Louis Park Public Schools used American...

BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

5 facts about rural school districts’ pandemic relief spending on afterschool and summer programs

In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

New fact sheet: Using American Rescue Plan Funds For Afterschool And Summer Programs

Following up on findings from the “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities” report, our new fact sheet describes the impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) investments in...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/26/24

Cultivating the next workforce generation in afterschool programs

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) provide new career opportunities for students by giving them hands-on experience working in afterschool and summer enrichment programs. Many 21st CCLC sites offer opportunities where students can be assistant teachers, tutors, coaches, and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      02/02/24

Year in review: Pandemic relief funds support the nutrition of young people

In 2023, we released eight blogs and collected over 550 examples on our American Rescue Plan map, highlighting some of the amazing ways pandemic relief funds are being utilized for afterschool and summer. These funds have supported youth access to arts, physical activity, mental health services,...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      01/04/24

Tracking American Rescue Plan funds: Recommendations from the field

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers. In October, the Afterschool Alliance released a new report, “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities,” detailing how districts are...

BY: Guest Blogger      12/01/23

Voter perspectives on afterschool: Black voters overwhelmingly support afterschool programs

The recently released fact sheet, “Voters Say Afterschool Programs are a Necessity,” provided a high-level, national overview of a poll surveying registered voters. To provide a closer examination of the sentiments different groups of registered voters have toward afterschool programs,...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/25/25

New polling shows voters value afterschool

Are afterschool programs an absolute necessity for communities? Should newly elected leaders provide more funding for afterschool programs? Are afterschool programs keeping kids safe, supporting academic and social growth, and helping young people gain foundational skills, like teamwork and...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/11/25

New survey finds that most U.S. public schools offer afterschool programs, but staffing and funding challenges limit access

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical branch within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences (IES), recently released findings from its School Pulse Panel (SPP). This nationally representative survey of public school principals was...

BY: Alana Edmond      12/17/24

New survey results show parents want more summer programming

This week, a new survey released by the National Summer Learning Association and the American Camp Association highlights what last summer was like for kids and families in the U.S. Conducted by Gallup, May 1-15, the survey of more than 6,800 parents finds that more than half parents (55%) report...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

Youth value voice, preparing for the future, and making a difference in afterschool

More than 9 in 10 youth report that they feel respected, are listened to, and trust the adults in their afterschool programs, according to research released by Every Hour Counts. Acting in leadership positions, working on social justice, and learning how to manage money were among the activities...

BY: Ursula Helminski      07/16/24

Survey results point to a summer of learning and engagement ahead for young people

As the temperature starts to rise, and in D.C., we start to feel the familiar humidity creep into the air, one’s thoughts can’t help but turn to summer—and for those of us at the Afterschool Alliance, that includes thinking about what the state of summer programming will look...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/17/24

New survey: Afterschool programs advance learning recovery efforts but face staffing and cost challenges

Based on a new national survey of 1,116 afterschool program providers, programs are supporting students’ academic development, strengthening peer-to-peer connections, and creating opportunities where they can practice life skills. At the same time, providers report grappling with issues such...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      04/25/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

A recent report on pandemic relief funds showed the numerous ways that school districts are using federal funds to support students with afterschool and summer learning opportunities. A new spotlight dives deeper into one example in Minnesota and how St. Louis Park Public Schools used American...

BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

Year in review: Pandemic relief funds support the nutrition of young people

In 2023, we released eight blogs and collected over 550 examples on our American Rescue Plan map, highlighting some of the amazing ways pandemic relief funds are being utilized for afterschool and summer. These funds have supported youth access to arts, physical activity, mental health services,...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      01/04/24

Tracking American Rescue Plan funds: Recommendations from the field

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers. In October, the Afterschool Alliance released a new report, “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities,” detailing how districts are...

BY: Guest Blogger      12/01/23

New NPSS brief: 320k+ adults join schools to provide essential student supports

The National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS), a collaboration between AmeriCorps, the U.S. Department of Education, and Johns Hopkins’ Everyone Graduates Center, has released findings from the second iteration of its nationally representative survey of school principals. This survey,...

BY: Alana Edmond      11/11/24

What does the state of educational opportunity look like in America?

This is the monumental question that 50CAN—the 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now, and Edge Research set out to answer by asking more than 20,000 parents questions about the quality of their child’s school, participation in out-of-school-time activities, knowledge about and...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      11/07/24

Putting Research Into Practice – for an academic afterschool program, post COVID

This guest blog is by Lynsey Wood Jeffries, CEO of Higher Achievement, an afterschool and summer program serving middle school scholars in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and Richmond, VA. Findings from the evaluation on Higher Achievement was recently included in an Afterschool Alliance brief,...

BY: Guest Blogger      10/21/24

New survey results show parents want more summer programming

This week, a new survey released by the National Summer Learning Association and the American Camp Association highlights what last summer was like for kids and families in the U.S. Conducted by Gallup, May 1-15, the survey of more than 6,800 parents finds that more than half parents (55%) report...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

5 facts about rural school districts’ pandemic relief spending on afterschool and summer programs

In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

Cultivating the next workforce generation in afterschool programs

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) provide new career opportunities for students by giving them hands-on experience working in afterschool and summer enrichment programs. Many 21st CCLC sites offer opportunities where students can be assistant teachers, tutors, coaches, and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      02/02/24

Year in review: Pandemic relief funds support the nutrition of young people

In 2023, we released eight blogs and collected over 550 examples on our American Rescue Plan map, highlighting some of the amazing ways pandemic relief funds are being utilized for afterschool and summer. These funds have supported youth access to arts, physical activity, mental health services,...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      01/04/24

COVID-relief funds deep dive (part 2)

By Liana Shivers and Emily Murtaugh. In March 2021, local education agencies (LEAs) received approximately $22 billion from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to support COVID-related learning recovery, including afterschool and summer learning. This is the second blog...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/22/23

New dashboard presents a retrospective of the Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 survey series

Over the course of the last three years, thanks to the afterschool field’s generous nature and taking the time during an incredibly tumultuous period to respond to our surveys, the Afterschool Alliance has been able to track the changing landscape of the afterschool field. A recently released...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/19/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

New survey finds that most U.S. public schools offer afterschool programs, but staffing and funding challenges limit access

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical branch within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences (IES), recently released findings from its School Pulse Panel (SPP). This nationally representative survey of public school principals was...

BY: Alana Edmond      12/17/24

5 facts about rural school districts’ pandemic relief spending on afterschool and summer programs

In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

New fact sheet: Using American Rescue Plan Funds For Afterschool And Summer Programs

Following up on findings from the “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities” report, our new fact sheet describes the impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) investments in...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/26/24

Pandemic relief funds fuel partnerships

We’re highlighting ways that COVID relief funds are increasing partnerships to support out-of-school time learning, as a part of our series highlighting the wide variety of examples available in our map of City, State, and School District Investments in Afterschool and Summer Learning with...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/07/23

New dashboard presents a retrospective of the Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 survey series

Over the course of the last three years, thanks to the afterschool field’s generous nature and taking the time during an incredibly tumultuous period to respond to our surveys, the Afterschool Alliance has been able to track the changing landscape of the afterschool field. A recently released...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/19/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

Photo courtesy of GENTS & GLAM As we look forward to National Summer Learning Week on July 10-14, we’re shining a light on the ways COVID-relief funds are supporting students while school is out for the summer. Thanks to these funds, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23

Fall afterschool provider survey results: A child care provider perspective

The recent Afterschool Provider Survey, published February 2023, included a universe of over 1,000 programs across the country. Of the 1,016 programs surveyed, just under 10 percent (92) identified themselves as “afterschool programs run by child care centers.” The data allow for...

BY: Jillian Luchner      05/08/23

300 ways pandemic relief funds are supporting afterschool and summer

We’re thrilled to share a new and improved interactive map showing examples of afterschool and summer programming supported by pandemic relief funds. From experiential learning camps in Vermont where youth learned how to use a compass and identify wild edibles; to STEM offerings in...

BY: Ursula Helminski      04/17/23

COVID-relief funds deep dive (part 1)

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers. Two years have passed since states received their portion of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III or ARP ESSER) funds as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Funds, allocated at the state education agency (SEA) and local...

BY: Guest Blogger      04/14/23

New report from Learning Policy Institute examines how states are expanding summer learning opportunities

The summer months offer a critical opportunity to support students’ academic growth, social development, and mental well-being, while supporting families by providing safe and supportive environment for children while parents are often at work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal...

BY: Chris Neitzey      02/20/25

New survey results show parents want more summer programming

This week, a new survey released by the National Summer Learning Association and the American Camp Association highlights what last summer was like for kids and families in the U.S. Conducted by Gallup, May 1-15, the survey of more than 6,800 parents finds that more than half parents (55%) report...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

New report on summer 2023 programming

“Looking ahead to summer 2024, it seems like summer programming is poised to shrink rather than grow…Now that so many districts have ramped up their summer programming, the United States could choose a different path by building on the momentum already achieved—instead of scaling...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      06/14/24

Survey results point to a summer of learning and engagement ahead for young people

As the temperature starts to rise, and in D.C., we start to feel the familiar humidity creep into the air, one’s thoughts can’t help but turn to summer—and for those of us at the Afterschool Alliance, that includes thinking about what the state of summer programming will look...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/17/24

Phase II findings from the National Summer Learning and Enrichment Study explore how SEAs approached summer

Researchers at Westat released the second batch of findings from the National Summer Learning & Enrichment Study. The Wallace Foundation is supporting the study. This release is the second in a series of three reports taking a closer look at summer learning in 2021 from the perspective of state...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/16/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Best practices from school districts for advancing equity in expanded learning

How can we promote equity in out-of-school time (OST) programs? A new research brief commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, Expanding Equity in Afterschool and Summer Learning: Lessons From School Districts, explores this question. The brief summarizes work done by researchers at the University of...

BY: Sophie Kidd      07/03/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

Photo courtesy of GENTS & GLAM As we look forward to National Summer Learning Week on July 10-14, we’re shining a light on the ways COVID-relief funds are supporting students while school is out for the summer. Thanks to these funds, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23

New study examines how districts approached summer learning in 2021

In December 2022, researchers at Westat released the first batch of findings from the National Summer Learning & Enrichment Study, an effort funded by the Wallace Foundation. The study will feature three reports that analyze summer learning in 2021 and 2022 across the country from the viewpoint...

BY: Sophie Kidd      03/14/23

Voter perspectives on afterschool: Black voters overwhelmingly support afterschool programs

The recently released fact sheet, “Voters Say Afterschool Programs are a Necessity,” provided a high-level, national overview of a poll surveying registered voters. To provide a closer examination of the sentiments different groups of registered voters have toward afterschool programs,...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/25/25

New brief highlights how policymakers and practitioners are expanding access to OST programming for low-income students

The National Academies’ Board on Children, Youth and Families developed a 16-member committee of field experts to conduct a consensus study on learning and development in K-12 out-of-school-time (OST) settings, including before-school, afterschool, and summer programs. The committee’s...

BY: Alana Edmond      10/14/24

How are high-poverty school districts’ spending their American Rescue Plan funds on afterschool and summer programs?

In New Jersey’s East Orange School District, students from families with low incomes benefitted from expanded enrichment and academic support, thanks to the district’s investment of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in afterschool and summer programs. For example, the district was able...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/23/24

New survey: Afterschool programs advance learning recovery efforts but face staffing and cost challenges

Based on a new national survey of 1,116 afterschool program providers, programs are supporting students’ academic development, strengthening peer-to-peer connections, and creating opportunities where they can practice life skills. At the same time, providers report grappling with issues such...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      04/25/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

A recent report on pandemic relief funds showed the numerous ways that school districts are using federal funds to support students with afterschool and summer learning opportunities. A new spotlight dives deeper into one example in Minnesota and how St. Louis Park Public Schools used American...

BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

Afterschool a priority for Asian American and Pacific Islander voters

A brand new graphic draws attention to the high levels of support among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters for afterschool and summer learning programs. Based on a November 2022 survey of registered voters, the graphic maps out what AAPI voters are saying about afterschool programs,...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/30/23

Women voters say that they want increased access to afterschool

A new graphic released this week illustrates the strong support for afterschool and summer programs among women voters. Based on results from an online survey of registered voters conducted by Lake Research Partners between November 9-14, 2022, women across political affiliations, community types,...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/31/23

Listening to Black voters: Afterschool is essential

Results are in! By overwhelming majorities, Black voters agree on the value of afterschool and summer learning programs. From inspiring children to learn to supporting young people’s well-being, polling affirms that Black voters are in favor of afterschool programs for our nation’s...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      03/13/23

New report from Learning Policy Institute examines how states are expanding summer learning opportunities

The summer months offer a critical opportunity to support students’ academic growth, social development, and mental well-being, while supporting families by providing safe and supportive environment for children while parents are often at work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal...

BY: Chris Neitzey      02/20/25

Youth value voice, preparing for the future, and making a difference in afterschool

More than 9 in 10 youth report that they feel respected, are listened to, and trust the adults in their afterschool programs, according to research released by Every Hour Counts. Acting in leadership positions, working on social justice, and learning how to manage money were among the activities...

BY: Ursula Helminski      07/16/24

New report on summer 2023 programming

“Looking ahead to summer 2024, it seems like summer programming is poised to shrink rather than grow…Now that so many districts have ramped up their summer programming, the United States could choose a different path by building on the momentum already achieved—instead of scaling...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      06/14/24

Phase II findings from the National Summer Learning and Enrichment Study explore how SEAs approached summer

Researchers at Westat released the second batch of findings from the National Summer Learning & Enrichment Study. The Wallace Foundation is supporting the study. This release is the second in a series of three reports taking a closer look at summer learning in 2021 from the perspective of state...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/16/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

Photo courtesy of GENTS & GLAM As we look forward to National Summer Learning Week on July 10-14, we’re shining a light on the ways COVID-relief funds are supporting students while school is out for the summer. Thanks to these funds, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23