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What should states watch out for?
Coordination challenges
The diversity of the afterschool field leads to key
challenges that state leaders face: coordinating statewide activity,
and embedding ELOs into overall education reform strategies.
How are ELOs diverse?
- Activities occur in various locations: schools,
community-based organizations, and childcare centers.
- Programs serve multiple purposes: improving student
achievement by providing extra help after school, keeping kids
safe while their parents are working, providing youth
development and leadership opportunities, and reducing juvenile
crime.
- Many labels: Programs are called "afterschool,"
"out-of-school time," "extra,"
"extended," or "expanded learning
opportunities." Other names used include "school-age
care," "latchkey," and "youth development
programs and services."
- The labels listed above have roots in different fields:
formal K-12 education, childcare, and youth development.
These differences can ignite turf battles
between agencies (education, human services), between the early
childhood community and the school-age care community, and between
the traditional youth development community and public schools.
Limited funds
Limited resources typically are seen as the root of
these conflicts. This is true to some extent, but the reason is more
complex than funding competition.
Collaboration and coordination are what make
ELOs function well. Indeed, these are difficult to achieve without
funds. However, collaboration and coordination also require:
- Leadership
- State and local staff charged with coordinating these programs
- The capacity to provide training and technical assistance in
the field
Without necessary funding, it is nearly impossible
to integrate and embed ELOs into overall education reform strategies
– which is a governor's main goal.
Excessive measurement stalls other action
State leaders should know how much their state
invests in ELO programs, in order to effectively target that
programming. It is important to create an ongoing information base
and use data to conduct continuing needs assessments.
However, making progress is equally important.
Therefore, don't spend too much time gathering and analyzing
data.
The need for action is real – not just to close
the achievement gap, but also to keep children safe.
Almost every part of the country has very high
demand for high-quality ELOs before school, after school, on
weekends, and in the summer. National data suggest that as many as
15 million school-age youth are home alone from 3-6 p.m. Most crime
is committed by and against youth during those hours.
Building community support while simultaneously
identifying learning needs can mitigate this danger.
Collaboration and results require funding
ELOs need a framework and system of accountability
in order to succeed long-term. However, evaluations are necessary
in order to determine whether a program or initiative is yielding
expected results.
These evaluations costs money – often a great deal
of money. However, ELO grants typically include no resources for
evaluations of any kind, let alone rigorous ones.
Since coordinating the diverse ELO field presents
challenges, whether or not a mandate or request for individuals or
agencies to collaborate has funding attached largely determines
whether particular collaborative process will succeed.
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Closing the Achievement Gap
NGA Center for Best Practices
Hall of States, 444 N. Capitol St., Washington, D.C. 20001-1512
Telephone: (202) 624-5300 | webmaster: webmaster@nga.org
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