National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment Resource Library

This slide deck shares the first findings released from the National Summer Learning and Enrichment Study conducted by Westat about school-run summer programs in 2021 and plans for summer 2022. The representative findings are drawn from 309 Local Education Agencies. 94% of schools offered some kind of summer programming, serving 18% of students enrolled in school the previous year, with finding staffing as the biggest challenge. 76% used ARP funding, with 75% focused on learning recovery and 57% supplementing with social-emotional learning. 80% also indicated plans to offer programs in summer 2022. A final report will be shared in mid-2023.

This issue brief from the Sperling Center for Research and Innovation (SCRI) explores qualitative findings from surveys with summer 2021 staff to identify strategies to help in recruiting and retaining staff. Strategies include a focus on relationships and collaboration, supportive leadership, ensuring flexibility and autonomy, opportunities for personal and professional growth, and additional support staff. A companion toolkit called the Staff Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Guide includes tip sheets, a rubric for hiring enrichment staff, and other planning tools; it can be found here.  https://www.sperlingcenter.org/resource/staffing-toolkit-for-out-of-school-time-learning-programs/ 

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with the National League of Cities, has created a map and a chart that shows where states, cities, and school districts are investing COVID-19 relief funds. The charts show how funds are being used, including American Rescue Plan, ESSER III, and local recovery funds. The majority of funds are being used to increase access to afterschool and summer programs, and in addition for teen jobs programs, technology, and staff supports.

This user-friendly toolkit includes a wealth of resources and examples needed to start or grow a program. It has four sections: (1) Starting a program; (2) Running a program; (3) Sustaining a program; and (4) Getting help. Within each section there are links to existing program start-up guides, connections to curriculum and professional development, funding, marketing and media, and partnerships. This resource supports equity.  

The State of California has allocated an unprecedented sum of $4.6 billion in one-time relief and $3.4 billion in permanent funding to expand afterschool and summer learning opportunities. This report provides an historical perspective on how their advocacy efforts planted seeds for more sustainable state investment by building relationships and partnerships with community-based providers, state and federal agencies, and legislators and through strategic communication. The lessons from CA are relevant for other city and state intermediaries who would like to increase city and state investment in afterschool and summer.  There is a companion webinar that can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYhNnEijWxk

This report from the Rand Corporation provides lessons learned from the Wallace Foundation's Partnership for Social and Emotional Learning Initiative (PSELI). Since 2017, six cities each have 5-7 partnerships each to explore how children benefit if schools and out-of-school collaborate to improve climate and foster social-emotional learning. This report provides the themes that have emerged from six case studies in Boston, Dallas, Denver, Palm Beach, Tacoma, and Tulsa.  

This issue brief from the Government Alliance on Race and Equity focuses on unifying strategies and structures that facilitate a deep, widespread, and sustained commitment to racial equity across the whole of government. It outlines four basic strategies and each one includes actions that specific agencies can take: (1) Use an inside/outside strategy by building partnerships between government and the communities experiencing systemic racism; (2) Build capacity for lasting organizational change by providing training from experts and build Racial Equity Core Teams; (3) Build networked structures across the whole of federal government for long-term change through a centralized office and lifting up high-achieving agency practices; and (4) Prepare for and learn from internal and external backlash. This resource supports equity.

This webinar by Grantmakers for Education explored how to use an asset frame in creating positive out-of-school-time spaces for youth from populations that are often marginalized. It included panelists from the National Urban League, the Wallace Foundation, the Chicago Urban Institute, Wellesley College, the Cheyenne Youth Project, and Maven Youth. It includes two program examples as well as feedback from Wellesley College interviews and focus groups with youth about equity issues.  This resource supports equity.

The National Conference of State Legislatures provides this toolkit on youth homelessness to support the estimated 4.2 million youth and young adults who experience homelessness each year. 700,000 of those youth are unaccompanied minors and the risk factors include family conflict, sexual orientation or sexual activity, school problems, and/or substance abuse. The toolkit includes sections on causes and consequences, definitions, federal policy, state legislative action, and a rich array of resources.  

This brief addresses how to leverage afterschool time for preparing students for a career from career awareness activities for K-6, and then career exploration, career preparation and career training for middle school and high school youth. It includes numerous city and national examples and recommendations to strengthen career readiness in afterschool.