out-of-school time

CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY
Estimates suggest that 15 million children in the United States are without adult supervision for some
period of time after school. iv This unsupervised time puts youth at risk for academic and behavioral
problems, drug use, and other types of risky behaviors. v Despite increasing awareness regarding these
risks, the number of children and youth left on their own in the afternoons has increased. vi
The challenge persists into the summer months. Research on the “summer slide” – the learning loss
that occurs when students are out of school – suggests that, on average, students lose one month of
instruction in reading and mathematics every summer.
These losses are exacerbated because students have differing levels of access to formal enrichment
activities when school is out. vii While the “summer slide” hits students across the socioeconomic
spectrum, it is pronounced for lower-income students. Middle- and high-income students are often able
to attend out-of-school time programs during the school year. In addition, their parents are more likely to
avoid the “summer slide” by arranging and paying for summer camps that extend the time their children
are engaged in activities that support their academic growth. In contrast, low-income parents say it is
difficult to find enriching, affordable, safe, and conveniently located activities for their children. viii
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University concluded that two-thirds of the achievement
gap between lower- and higher-income youth results from unequal access to summer
learning opportunities. ix Ensuring broad, equitable access to high-quality afterschool,
summer, and other enrichment programs can help to bridge this gap. x
High-quality, well-designed, and well-implemented out-of-school time programs can make the
difference, offering:
• Academic enrichment and support;
• The opportunity to build personal skills, cultivate new interests, and to develop
meaningful relationships with peers and supportive adults; and
• The opportunity to engage in extracurricular activities.
Quality programs typically share a set of characteristics, including mechanisms for ongoing
communication between staff, participants, and families; strong administrative structures; and
financially stable organizations. xi
High-quality out-of-school time programs, such as community or school-based mentoring, tutoring,
and family-focused services offered in schools, have been shown to improve outcomes for children and
youth. At the same time, poorly designed or poorly implemented programs can have a negative impact
on student development and academic achievement. xii
This impact is supported by more than a decade of research and evaluation studies. These studies show
that children and youth who participate in these programs improve in key areas that foster success
in school, including social and emotional development, increased interest and engagement in school,
homework completion rates, improved classroom grades and performance on standardized tests, and
avoidance of risky behaviors. xiii One review of 35 studies, for example, reported that the test scores of
low-income, at-risk youth improved significantly in both reading and mathematics after they participated
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