Key Recommendations for After-School Programs

After-school programs are developed for numerous reasons: to extend learning beyond school hours, to decrease problem behaviors associated with unsupervised time, to foster positive youth development, etc. The design of the program must address the need, and decisions about design should be based on the best information available about after-school programs.

Within the after-school field, there is reasonable agreement on the key ingredients required for success: interesting activities, supportive relationships, and the capacity to deliver such things (Granger and Kane, 2004, p. 2).

There is less agreement on how to put these ingredients to work. “The answer depends on why the program was set up, the extent to which the program designed addresses the needs of the participants, and the extent to which the program shows positive outcomes when evaluated for evidence of effectiveness” (Fashola, 2002, p. 54).

1. After-school program success should not be tied to standardized test scores.
2. Focus on quality and build evaluation into the design of after-school programs.
3. After-school programs cannot be expected to have any impact until at least six months after the start of program implementation.
4. Before implementing the program, clearly articulate intended outcomes — including how you will measure them.

• Target and track immediate outcomes, such as:
  • Improving attendance
  • Increasing social skills
  • Reducing disruptive behaviors
  • Improving planning and project completion
  • Improving homework completion

• Focus on the most appropriate intermediate outcomes, including:
  • Improving work and study habits
  • Improving grades
  • Improving performance in specific areas (Vandell as cited in FYI, 2002, p. 5):
    • basic skills (reading, writing, speaking, computing)
    • higher order skills (planning, debating, problem-solving)
    • content knowledge (history, literature, engine repair)
  • Increasing parent involvement