California

The Afterschool Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Partnership was established in 1998 to fund school partnerships with city, county, and community organizations. The goal is to improve student performance in school and to provide a safe environment after school for students in grades K-9.

In 2001, Governor Gray Davis signed a bill increasing state funding to $117.5 million. For FY 2003, he has proposed to increase funding by $75 million.

These funds are disbursed as three-year renewable grants, and are sustainable for afterschool programs in elementary and middle schools that show positive outcomes for the children served. Programs funded currently serve approximately 95,000 students. Indicators include:

• Improvement of academic outcomes
• Social and behavioral outcomes
• Increased attendance during the regular school day

California's public/private partnership is one of the best-known in the field of afterschool programs.

In 1999, the Governor's Office, the California Department of Education, and the Foundation Consortium forged a partnership that promotes systematic, cross-cutting, site-level technical assistance, training, and support to local program providers and communities. (The Foundation Consortium is an alliance of corporate, private, community, and family foundations which share a common vision for California's children, families, and communities.)

This partnership supports development of a long-term infrastructure for afterschool technical assistance needs. The Center for Collaborative Solutions (a nonprofit organization) implements the partnership's vision of building regional and local capacity to expand high-quality ELOs.

Hawaii

The After School Plus (A+) Program provides affordable, statewide afterschool childcare for latchkey students in all of Hawaii's public elementary schools. This program includes afterschool care with homework assistance, enrichment activities, and supervised recreational activities. These various activities extend beyond basic custodial care.

The A+ program seeks to:

• Provide afterschool supervision for children in stimulating and caring environments.

• Reduce the number of latchkey children.

• Reinforce and expand children's learning experiences.

• Enhance the relationship between home and school to collaboratively meet children's needs.

• Improve children's physical fitness.

• Better utilize school facilities.

A+ services are available from the end of the school day until 5:30 p.m. during school days of the regular school year.

Former governor Benjamin J. Cayetano initiated the A+ Program when he served as Lieutenant Governor in the Waihee administration. Operations began in 1990. In FY 2000, this program was appropriated $10.69 million.

The state Department of Education is responsible for operational guidelines and procedures, including:

• Application and enrollment
• Fees and other charges
• Reasonable modifications
• Hours of operation
• Curriculum
• Transportation

Illinois

In Spring 2001, the Illinois General Assembly passed a resolution establishing the Illinois Afterschool Initiative and Task Force. The Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Human Services were required to convene and co-chair this task force.

This task force was charged with developing a comprehensive and strategic plan for afterschool programs, to present to the Assembly by Fall 2002. The task force assessed the condition of afterschool services across the state.

The state's strong afterschool advocacy community was major force behind the development of the state's two major state-funded afterschool programs:

• Summer Bridges: This program is designed to improve the reading, writing, and mathematics skills of students exiting pre-kindergarten and those exiting sixth grade in districts where a significant number of students do not meet state learning standards. It is administered by the State Board of Education and funded at $23 million.

• Teen REACH: This program provides structured activities for teens during non-school hours. The goal is to prevent involvement in gangs, alcohol and drug use, sexual activity, teen pregnancy, and other problems. It targets youth ages 10-17 from the state's neediest communities. It is administered by the state Department of Human Services and is funded at $23 million.

Kentucky

The 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act required all school districts to provide additional instructional time (extended school services, ESS) outside the standard school day in order to close the achievement gap. This strategy gives low-performing students extra time (extended school days, weeks, or years) to meet the state's learning goals.

Local school districts receive state grants for extended school services. School councils design the curriculum and help determine how the program will be structured in schools. The program's annual budget is currently $37 million.

The ESS program must accomplish one of the following goals:

• Sustain students' present level of performance and prevent them from falling behind.

• Extend programming for students who have been retained.

• Assist students who are at risk of failing to graduate on time.

• Close the achievement gap of low-performing students so they can perform at the appropriate age level.

Maryland

Former governor Parris N. Glendening created the After School Opportunity Fund in order to develop and support afterschool programs that would reduce delinquency and improve academic achievement.

This fund authorized $10 million annually for afterschool programs targeting at-risk youth. The competitive, need-based grant funds all 24 jurisdictions in the state.

The fund is jointly administered by the state Department of Human Resources Childcare Administration, the Governor's Office of Children, Youth and Families, and the Office of Crime Control & Prevention

The After School Opportunity Fund Advisory Board developed program standards, funding priorities, and an administrative structure to guide the after school expansion with local support from the Local Management Boards (LMBs).

LMBs plan and coordinate child and family service delivery in each jurisdiction and provide a central place for discussion and decision making. The Department of Human Resources supports the LMBs with training, technical assistance, and monitoring.

During the first grant period, funding was distributed as follows:

• Statewide training, technical assistance, and evaluation: $750,000
• Base allotment to LMBs: $4,771,074
• Competitive distribution: $4,478,926

Currently, the Advisory Board is developing a long-term sustainability plan to expand and enhance afterschool programs.

New Hampshire

PlusTime New Hampshire is a nonprofit organization formed in 1990 that focuses on meeting the needs of the state's school-age children.

This organization does not provide direct services to children. Instead, it acts as a catalyst for developing youth programs. It helps communities identify the needs of youth and start appropriate out-of-school-time programs. For example, PlusTime NH has:

• Addressed the shortage of afterschool-care providers and the availability of afterschool programs

• Provided mini-grants to communities to establish programs

• Linked community-based, out-of-school care providers into a network of program providers and held regular network meetings to discuss common issues, share best practices, and provide training

• Provided access to national data, research, and information on elementary, middle, and high school issues and programming

• Given technical assistance to launch programs

• Aided quality assurance and preparation for accreditation

By partnering with important stakeholders and by having a clear mission and goals, PlusTime NH has leveraged funds from various public and private sources. Since beginning in 1990 with a budget of only $20,000, its funding has grown to $1.3 million (including $120,000 per year from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services).

This organization has produced significant results and enjoys strong support from state leaders.

In January 2002, PlusTime NH received a $4.6 million grant over five years from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation to develop academically-enriched afterschool programs in New Hampshire. This program will benefit middle school students in 15 high-poverty communities in the state.

South Dakota

The Out-of-School Time (OST) grant program provides three-year grants to schools and communities which provide safe environments that motivate and inspire learning outside the classroom. Administered by the South Dakota Office of Childcare Services (CCS), the CCS OST program has collaborated with many groups (most notably school districts, including potential and actual U.S. Dept. of Education 21st Century Commmunity Learning Center grantees).

Also, OST staff around the state provide OST-specific training and technical assistance to all programs serving youth K-8 – including 21st CCLC grantees and childcare centers.

The CCS OST program relies on federal childcare (CCDF) funding, which each year supplies programs each year with approximately $1.4 million. The plan is to encourage program accreditation using the National School-Age Care Alliance (NSACA) Standards.

The South Dakota Office of Childcare Services will be collaborating with the state Department of Education and Cultured Affairs (DECA) to provide technical assistance and support for the new DECA-administered 21st CCLC programs. All state programs will be encouraged to work closely with school administrators to ensure that at-risk and lower-achieving youth are served. Also these agencies will ensure that the intentional programming offered for 21st CCLC projects is tied to core standards.