1 of 25

YOU HAVE THE EVIDENCE AND YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE: COMPREHENSIVE AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER ENRICHMENT WORK�LEARNINGS FROM RESEARCH & PRACTICE

Terry K. Peterson, Ph.D., Chief Counselor to former South Carolina Governor and US Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley; Lead Researcher, The Evidence Base for Afterschool and Summer Learning

Presentation to the 7-State Northwest Consortium on October 21, 2021

2 of 25

BEFORE COVID: �RESEARCH WAS STACKING UP

Many children and youth can/need to broaden their skills, interests and supports for school and life success in afterschool and summers
Many more parents want and need afterschool and summer programs than are currently available and affordable
Children and youth out of school at 2:30 doesn't work for most families

Requiring teachers to work until 6 pm is unfair and burns them out
Partnerships between community-based organizations and schools/teachers can support family needs and school day teachers in providing innovative learning and comprehensive support in afterschool and summers

3 of 25

THEN COVID HIT AND DISRUPTED EVERY STATE ACROSS THE COUNTRY

4 of 25

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU ARE DOING!!

In addition to striving to improve your virtual (and in-person) learning opportunities and partnerships during Covid, many of you have encouraged, supported and led clever, innovative activities to support students and families.�

Pickup snacks and meals for students and their families.
At home learning kits from literacy to the arts.
Check-in calls or emails to students and their families.
Assistance for students in dealing with virtual learning challenges.
Providing in-person programming in a safe environment in a nearby learning hub for parents who have to work.
Referrals to community agencies for wrap-around services.
Collaboration with local school or city TV channels to offer high interest educational programs in areas critical for school success.

5 of 25

LOST LEARNING TIME AND MISSED ESSENTIAL CONNECTIONS DURING COVID

READING AND MATH�

Particularly for low-income students…but catching up must be engaging and enriching or students will tune out

REDUCED STEM AND STEAM EXPERIENCES – MANY FUTURE JOBS NEED THESE SKILLS

LITTLE IF ANY ARTS & MUSIC —FOR SOME STUDENTS THESE ARE THEIR MOTIVATION

DISRUPTIONS TO PATHWAYS �TO CAREERS AND COLLEGE; MORE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS

6 of 25

PLUS: EVERY DAY WE ARE SEEING UNFILLED NEEDS

HELP WANTED SIGNS: Parents are unable to return to work full time BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE AVAILABLE, AFFORDABLE, CHILD CARE AND YOUTH SUPERVISION.
HELLO: that is what comprehensive afterschool and summer enrichment opportunities and partnerships provide for K to 8-9th graders.
Afterschool and summer providers need new and better support too to help develop, hire and address staffing needs.

7 of 25

So comprehensive afterschool AND summer enrichment are not just nice; they are ESSENTIAL for children and families AND EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS.

That is why an almost unimaginable majority of parents of ALL political parties support them!!!

More than 80% of parents on average in your seven states support government funding of afterschool and summer opportunities.

8 of 25

NEW, STRONG EVIDENCE BASE SHOWS WELL-DESIGNED AND WELL-DELIVERED SUMMER ENRICHMENT AND COMPREHENSIVE AFTERSCHOOL �CAN ADDRESS:�� “LEARNING TIME LOST,” �ACCELERATE LEARNING, AND �EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

9 of 25

REMEMBER: THE WORK YOU ARE DOING HAS RESEARCH BEHIND IT, YOU ARE MAKING AN IMPACT!

Now is a critical time to share this evidence as national, state and local investments are being made to support children, youth and better educational opportunities.
Comprehensive afterschool and summer enrichment programs help students catchup, keep up and get ahead in school …and long-term in life.

10 of 25

YOUR CHALLENGES COULD NOT BE GREATER, BUT YOU HAVE NEW RESEARCH AND POTENTIAL NEW FUNDING TO MAKE MORE OF AN IMPACT AND REACH MORE CHILDREN AND YOUTH

This new research can help you and your partner organizations in and out of schools better design and existing afterschool and summer programs.

This research can and should be used to assist established partners and providers to expand their sites and/or the number of students served using NEW American Rescue Plan ESSER III Funds as well as other state and local funds working with your school districts and CBO’s.

11 of 25

ALSO, THE UNMET DEMAND FOR SUMMER AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS IS HIGH IN YOUR 7-STATE COLLABORATIVE

Many more children are waiting for afterschool programs than getting in! For summers, as many or more are waiting as getting in.

444,000

waiting

1,178,000

waiting

SUMMER

AFTERSCHOOL

12 of 25

THE NEW EVIDENCE BASE REPORT SUPPORTS THE GROWING POTENTIAL OF SUMMER AND AFTERSCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES

…if well designed AND to address Covid disruptions

Reengage students in learning activities that are interesting and engaging
Help address unfinished learning and learning loss
Increase connections to community groups and colleges to broaden students’ support base
Provide child care and youth supervision so families can work

13 of 25

THE EVIDENCE BASE FOR SUMMER ENRICHMENT AND COMPREHENSIVE AFTERSCHOOL IS POWERFUL

To guide policy and funding decisions
To provide design principles for providers

Website: �https://bit.ly/EvidenceBaseAfterschoolSummer

Paper (direct):�http://bit.ly/EvidenceBasePaper

14 of 25

HIGH QUALITY AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE PROVEN TO ACCELERATE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

Durlak & Weissberg, Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning; Expanding Minds, p. 196

15 of 25

Deborah Lowe Vandell

16 of 25

SUMMER LEARNING EVIDENCE �IS VERY IMPORTANT

A committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently examined and found summertime experiences to be very important for children and youth in four domains of well-being:

Academic learning
Social and emotional development
Physical and mental health
Safety

17 of 25

Help state and local leaders in making decisions about federal and state investments to combat the effects of COVID: �

Play a role in sharing this evidence and the opportunities that lay within your community to meet the needs of youth and families.
Share your ideas because of the years of experience, local examples, and authentic connections you have within your community.
These programs can only continue to support positive impacts on youth, families, schools, learning and communities that create systems and structures for long term success... IF FUNDED.

18 of 25

THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ESSER III VERY SIGNIFICANT FUNDS SHOULD BE USED TO ADDRESS LEARNING TIME LOSS AND RECOVERY: �THERE IS 20% SET-ASIDE �AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

19 of 25

COLLECTIVELY YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE RECEIVING $1,178 MILLION FOR �LEARNING RECOVERY �(20% SET ASIDE)

This amounts to $1.178 BILLION in the local set asides from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) in your seven states together
Many of your local school districts with 50-60% or more students on free-reduced lunch should have sufficient funds from ESSER III and related funds to expand programs for 2-3 years.

IN LAW, they should include:

Implementing evidence-based interventions
Comprehensive Afterschool
Summer Learning or Summer Enrichment
Extended Day
Extended school year

20 of 25

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE BASE: INCLUDE COMPONENTS LINKED TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND ADVANCE LEARNING IN CURRENT PROGRAMS AND IN DEVELOPING LOCAL FUNDING OF NEW PROGRAMS FROM ESSER III AND OTHER SOURCES

Active and hands-on learning experiences and discovery�
Use team building skills and resolving differences�
Encourage youth ownership, making learning relevant�
Support mastery: use practice to get good at something�
Encourage learning new skills; exploring career and college options

From: Learning in Afterschool & Summer Project. Temescal Associates

21 of 25

HELP EXPAND ACCESS, INCREASE PARTICIPATION, AND IDENTIFY YOUTH MOST IN NEED OF OPPORTUNITIES

Strategize on how to expand and improve summer enrichment and comprehensive afterschool in areas most in need across your communities, schools, districts and state.

Leverage your expertise and capacity and that of your allies to:

Engage with your local and state education leaders to invest ESSER III funds in comprehensive afterschool and summer enrichment and community-school partnerships
Reach out to leaders of childcare and workforce funds AND ask them join this effort
Educate your state leaders on new and better policies to develop statewide funding to keep growing quality afterschool and summer opportunities and partnerships—with or without the new federal funding
Encourage the development of supportive transportation systems that could be used for afterschool and summers to expand learning and community connections

22 of 25

SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS WORKING WITH SCHOOLS!

Increase the number of students served and enhance student interest and engagement by thinking more expansively about community partners!!
Include more youth-serving, community-based organizations, park and recreation agencies, libraries, art and cultural groups, affordable housing organizations, colleges and employers.

Shared professional development
Increasing site availability
Utilizing youth development workforce
Providing enrichment
Providing transportation

23 of 25

LEVERAGE SUMMERS AND AFTERSCHOOL TO CONNECT MORE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO JOBS,�CAREER AND COLLEGE OPTIONS

Grow summer youth employment and internships
Link youth apprenticeships and entrepreneurships to afterschool and summer programs
Find ways to award credit for sustained involvement in summer and afterschool experiences
Work with community colleges and technical education to offer career and workforce education programs beyond the school day
Sponsor college and workplace visits for students with free transportation
Increase service learning options

24 of 25

Generate Excitement and Interest as well as ENCOURAGE SOUND practices and funding;

Through parent and student surveys, site-visits, special reports, new regional and statewide workgroups (e.g., working with your state afterschool network):

Highlight local exemplary programs and partnerships
Leverage Lights On Afterschool
Share innovative ideas about how to:

Scale-up successful programs

Collaborate better with a range of partner organizations