Families in which all adults work outside the home have become the norm, and demand has grown for safe environments outside school hours where children can receive caring supervision and participate in constructive activities, including those that build their academic skills. But access to high-quality after-school programs is uneven, and low-income neighborhoods are especially likely to be underserved. MDRC is helping to fill important gaps in what is known about the role that skills instruction — and schools themselves — can play in after-school programs in economically disadvantaged communities. Two MDRC studies — one under way, the other recently completed — explore the links between after-school programs and K-12 education.
Current Project
The Evaluation of Academic Instruction in After-School Programs tests the ability of after-school programs to implement instruction in mathematics and reading, using materials adapted from regular school settings, and to improve academic achievement for their participants. These academic enhancements are being compared to more typical after-school programs, where the academic support consists largely of homework help.
Completed Project
The evaluation of Extended-Service Schools, conducted with Public/Private Ventures, examined the implementation, quality, and cost of after-school programs located in public school settings; it also analyzed program participation patterns and the benefits of participation as seen by students and their parents.
Key Documents on After-School Programs
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