Out-of-school time (OST) programs focused on older youth--specifically, youth in middle and high school--can help participants successfully navigate their adolescence and learn new skills well into their teens. OST programs can also help prepare older youth for a variety of new roles that they will assume as they enter college and the workforce.…

Out-of-school time (OST) programs represent a vital opportunity and resource for learning and development for children and youth. Given the potential of city-level OST initiatives to support participation, and against the national backdrop of inequitable access to quality OST programs for older youth from disadvantaged communities, The Wallace…

The policy forum brought to the center what is now on the periphery of education reform: family, school, and community engagement (FSCE) as a strategy to support student success. The forum sought to serve as a catalyst for reframing what FSCE should look like in the twenty--first century, and for repositioning this engagement as a major…

The Harvard Family Research Project conducted a research study on the factors associated with whether youth participate in organized out-of-school time (OST) programs and activities. National data was used to examine the many factors and contexts in children's lives that predict their participation. This research summary synthesizes findings from…

Participation in various structured out-of-school time (OST) activities benefits youth socially, emotionally, and academically and may have the most positive effects for youth who are most at risk. Little research, however, has explored the questions of who participates in OST activities and why. The Harvard Family Research Project examined the…

This issue of "The Evaluation Exchange" focuses on out-of-school time (OST). Several authors provide insights into how they, and others, are tackling measurement issues, from using technology and data systems to collect information and track progress, to applying lessons learned from developing early childhood quality measures. Other authors…