Afterschool is improving student engagement and reducing chronic absenteeism

Photo courtesy of R.E.A.C.H.

A recent report published by the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings and the education nonprofit Transcend highlights four fluid modes of student engagement—resister, passenger, achiever, and explorer—and examines how each helps or hinders student success, including attendance. The “explorer mode,” characterized by proactivity, creativity, and a desire to try new things, is considered the pinnacle of student engagement. However, the study reveals that fewer than 10% of students report experiences that foster this mode of engagement in their schooling, such as having a choice in what they learn or being able to develop their own ideas.

Fortunately, the flexible nature of afterschool programs provides an excellent opportunity to support student exploration. Whether by sparking new interests or allowing students the agency to delve into their existing passions, these programs energize students and stimulate learning and engagement both inside and outside of the classroom.

Complementing the recently released Afterschool Alliance issue brief, “Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: How Afterschool Programs are Building School-Day Engagement and Improving Attendance,” are two new program spotlights on the Jamestown Community Center (Jamestown) and the R.E.A.C.H. After School Program (R.E.A.C.H.)—two afterschool programs aligning school-day lessons with a broad range of hands-on enrichment activities to inspire learning and help youth discover their natural aptitudes.

Jamestown Community Center is a youth development organization offering before-school, afterschool, and summer programming to TK-12 youth in San Francisco’s Mission District. Primarily serving low-income students, Latino students, and multilingual learners, Jamestown offers a broad array of culturally relevant programs that incorporate youth voice and choice, which evolve as students grow within the program. In addition, Jamestown’s staff intentionally aligns student-selected enrichment opportunities with school-day lessons, such as the program’s cooking classes that infuse literacy through reading and writing cookbooks. To ensure this alignment, program staff are encouraged to shadow their students’ school-day teachers, enabling them to lead activities that are both engaging and relevant to students’ academic experiences. As a result of Jamestown’s student-centered programming and close relationship with partner schools, Jamestown participants are more likely to attend school than their peers not in the program, and students overwhelmingly report that they’ve been able to experience new opportunities because of their program.

R.E.A.C.H. is a 21st Century Community Learning Center serving K-8th grade students in Skowhegan, Maine. Beginning as a summer program in 2019, R.E.A.C.H. has since expanded its offerings to better support students' mental, emotional, and academic needs following the pandemic, providing a wide range of trauma-responsive and youth-centered afterschool programming. In addition to incorporating emotional regulation skill-building throughout programming, student voice and choice are essential components of R.E.A.C.H. The program employs a club-based model that allows students to help design and plan club offerings. From rock collecting to Korean culture clubs, students have created a variety of clubs that reflect their interests. Staff ensure these programs keep students engaged while also reinforcing academic subjects and providing extra support where needed. R.E.A.C.H.’s programming has helped the majority of their students below grade level in reading improve their ELA test scores, and parents have reported their children experiencing a more positive attitude toward school.

Learn more about these two programs and discover recommendations for how to connect afterschool offerings with school-day lessons by diving into the full program spotlights for Jamestown and R.E.A.C.H.!