Afterschool Research: Academic Enrichment

Afterschool and the Common Core State Standards (January 2014)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the first of four issue briefs in our sixth series examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief discusses how U.S. students measure up globally, the call for focus on 21st century skills, the goals of Common Core, and how afterschool programs are working with students, teachers and schools to help them reach these goals.

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Preventing Dropouts: The Important Role of Afterschool (2013)

Although much progress has been made in decreasing high school dropout rates nationally, over the last decade, significant gaps persist among states, races, income levels, and students with disabilities and limited English proficiency. This issue brief describes the national impacts of the dropout problem, identifies the risk factors, and evaluates how to address the dropout problem and ways afterschool programs can help.

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Afterschool: An Ally in Promoting Middle School Improvement (2012)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the first of four issue briefs in our fifth series examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. Currently, roughly 5 percent of all U.S. schools are chronically underperforming. This brief explains the Department of Education's School Improvement Grants (SIG) aimed at turning around America's lowest performing schools, and discusses the role afterschool programs can play in supporting this effort.

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Aligning Afterschool with the Regular School Day: The Perfect Complement (2011)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the first of four issue briefs in our fourth series examining critical issues facing middle school youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief discusses the benefits of aligning afterschool with the regular school day, including attacking the achievement gap, and provides strategies necessary for making alignment successful.

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Summer: A Season When Learning is Essential (2010)

For some children, summer vacations include a variety of enriching activities. But other children find that when schools close for summer, healthy meals, medical care, and learning activities become out of reach. In fact, each summer an estimated 43 million children in the U.S. miss out on expanded learning opportunities. This brief discusses how summer programs can support children by reducing the summer learning gap, keeping kids healthy, and providing them a safe place during the work day.

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Afterschool Fosters Success in School (2008)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the third of four issue briefs in a series examining the vital role afterschool programs play in supporting children, families and communities. This brief addresses afterschool’s role in improving school attendance, engagement in learning, test scores, grades, reducing risky behaviors, and supporting social and emotional development to foster student success.

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Afterschool Partnerships with Higher Education (2007)

Community partnerships are the cornerstone of some of the most successful afterschool programs. This brief describes the benefits higher education institutions can provide as partners to afterschool programs. College students can serve as mentors, tutors or youth workers, and faculty can provide assistance with evaluations or curriculum development—all of which can be beneficial to college students and institutions in return.

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Afterschool and School Improvement (2002)

According to state departments of education, more than 7,000 schools in the United States are considered in need of improvement. This issue brief addresses how afterschool can be a strategic part of a successful school improvement plan, and highlights the recognition afterschool is receiving, from principals and educational organizations across the country, for supporting school's already.

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