Afterschool Alliance: Youth Voices

Giving students school credit for the learning they do outside the classroom opens new opportunities and paths for young people

Successful credit-for-learning programs incorporate student voice and choice, often through strong community-school partnerships, areas in which afterschool and summer learning programs excel. From earning STEM credits in a boat-building class to learning the art of filmmaking from a local industry professional, youth are able to dive deeply into their interests and explore potential career paths, while earning credit towards graduation.

Want more? Check out this quick, half-minute video with highlights from credit-for-learning programs.

Kids have dreams for their futures. Credit-for-learning afterschool programs help them achieve goals while earning credit for graduation. In this video, students and staff from two afterschool programs in Providence, Rhode Island, share how credit-for-learning is helping young people reach their full potential.

Issue Brief: Credit-for-Learning: Make Learning Outside of School Count (November 2021)

Creating new and engaging learning opportunities for middle and high school students can help them find their inspiration, gain skills that will benefit them in and outside of the classroom, and play an active role in designing their own learning journey to reach their full potential. This issue brief, complemented by in-depth afterschool program profiles, explores the ways in which afterschool programs can provide older youth with opportunities to explore their interests and participate in activities that also allow them to earn credits toward their graduation requirements.

Read the report

Guides, talking points, and rubrics for credit-for-learning programs

If you're...

looking to get started

curious about designing your program

building the case for investments in credit-for-learning

evaluating your program

connecting your work to the school day

Then try...

Start-Up Guide for Implementing Credit-for-Learning Programs

A Guide to the Credit-for-Learning Process in New York City: Slideshow with tips and best practices for providers

ELO (Extended Learning Opportunity) Checklist: A document that delineates responsibilities for school districts, students/guardians, and local schools when implementing an extended learning opportunity in Alabama. See the application.

Potential funding resources including possible federal and state funding .

Elements of Work-Based Learning Program Design: A worksheet that gives a deeper look at the work-based learning framework and includes a rubric for providers to use when designing their own program. This framework was created “using experiences and expertise of students, in-school and out-of-school work-based learning program educators, and intermediary organizations.”

Work-Based Learning Framework: Matrix to help design programs build self awareness, self and social advocacy, relationship skills, and decision-making skills.

Talking points: These talking points will give you an overview of credit-for-learning, help you raise awareness about credit-for-learning programs within your local community, and allow you to engage in discussions with potential funders for this initiative.

Building a state campaign: A state campaign for credit-for-learning opportunities can help educate state policymakers and other key individuals about the benefits of these programs, resulting in laws or regulations that allow their implementation. This resource will walk you through elements of creating a successful state campaign.

Afterschool/Summer Program ELO Rubric: A tool to measure the quality, progress, and effectiveness of the ELO.

Young Voices ACN: Your Voice, Your Power: An assessment rubric co-created by Youth Voice Rhode Island and PASA (Providence After School Alliance)

ELO Grading Rubric: A tool to evaluate students on the work they completed in ELO programs.

Teacher of Record Student Check-in Tool: A worksheet including guiding questions for a teacher responsible for granting credit to ask students throughout their credit-for-learning experience.

Career Exploration Outline: A curriculum for teachers of record to connect out-of-school learning to academic work happening during the school day.

A sample email template that Youthforce NOLA uses to send to schools after a student completes a credit-for-learning program. Youthforce NOLA is no longer offering credit-for-learning opportunities.

Do you have a credit-for-learning program? We'd love to learn more about it! Reach out to skidd@afterschoolalliance.org.

Credit-for-learning programs

Giving students school credit for the learning they do outside the classroom opens new opportunities and paths for young people

Issue Brief: Credit-for-Learning: Make Learning Outside of School Count (November 2021)

Friends Forever International

New Hamsphire Academy of Sciences

Laconia School District Extended Learning Opportunities

L.E.A.D. Afterschool

FabNewport

Sail Academy

Guides, talking points, and rubrics for credit-for-learning programs

If you're...

Then try...