Call for Studies, Reports, and Evaluations on Afterschool Programs

Posted by on March 19, 2007

The American Youth Policy Forum

Call for Studies, Reports, and Evaluations on Afterschool and Other Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs

The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) is currently collecting research studies, reports, and evaluations of effective and innovative afterschool and other OST programs that predominantly serve older (middle through high school) youth who are underserved by the education system.

AYPF is developing a compendium of these programs, which will showcase OST programs that have evaluative data and information on positive student outcomes. It will demonstrate to policymakers and practitioners various effective approaches to working with underserved youth during out-of-school time that help lead them to positive outcomes such as improved academic performance, access to postsecondary education, and the development of social, civic, leadership, and workplace skills. The compendium will also provide recommendations to policymakers on how to support, sustain, and expand effective OST programs for older youth. It will be made available in print and on the web to policymakers, practitioners, and researchers at the national, state, and local levels.

AYPF plans to produce a compendium that will (a) describe various types and models of OST programs; (b) summarize existing evaluations and research of effective and/or innovative programs, particularly those serving low-income students, low-performing students, students with disabilities, and underserved minorities; (c) analyze and synthesize the findings; and (d) make policy and practice recommendations based on the findings.

We are asking for your help in identifying any evaluations of your work and that of others on OST programs of any kind. Evaluations submitted for consideration should, ideally:

? Use control or comparison groups
? Be conducted by third-party evaluators and contain quantitative data
? Look at measurable impact on academic, social, and/or developmental youth outcomes
? Focus on programs primarily serving middle and high school-aged youth

Please note that evaluations that are more qualitative in nature will also be accepted but are not prioritized. Your submissions are not guaranteed by AYPF to be included in the compendium.

Please send evaluations or information to Caroline Christodoulidis, American Youth Policy Forum, 1836 Jefferson Place, NW, Washington, DC 20036 or by email to OSTcompendium@aypf.org.

Submissions are due to AYPF no later than May 11, 2007. Thank you very much for your assistance.