BOOST Learning
Initiative
Better Outcomes for Out-of-School
Time
WHAT'S THE
SITUATION?
|
|
|
|
One third of
voters believe the biggest problem facing children today is that
they are alone, unsupervised during non-school hours.
-AFTERSCHOOL ALLIANCE
|
|
| |
•
|
Research shows that children from
low-income families and children of color are often not the
children enrolled in traditional after-school programs.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
•
|
Many of these children are not getting
the support they need to meet academic standards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Students make substantial academic
gains when after-school program providers are aligned with their
classroom teachers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Students who spend one to
four hours per week in extracurricular activities are 49 percent
less likely to use drugs and 37 percent less likely to become teen
parents. (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 1996)
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
WHAT'S THE STATE
OF SEATTLE'S OUT-OF-
SCHOOL-TIME PROGRAMS?
Some Seattle Neighborhoods have a dense network of high quality
child care providers and out-of-school-time programs. Others
don’t—a problem that affects low-income families and
families of color the most.
Meanwhile, all students are expected to meet
learning standards—whether they get homework help in an
after-school program aligned with school standards, attend a child
care center that doesn’t reinforce school standards, or spend
after-school hours home alone.
Many of these families choose non-mainstream
out-of-school-time care provided by smaller cultural or faith-based
groups, according to King County’s culturally-specific child
care task forces. Children in these programs receive care that
reflects their home culture, heritage and language, often at a
lower cost than mainstream programs. However, some of these
programs have not been in contact with the school system about how
to help students with academic work, nor have schools reached out
to these providers.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
WHAT DOES BOOST LEARNING DO ABOUT
THIS PROBLEM?
BOOST Learning is an effort
designed to:
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Creates a strong school,
family, provider and community network committed to supporting
learning during the time children are not in school.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
Identifies and addresses neighborhood barriers to the access and
delivery of out-of-school-time programs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
|
Defines the types of learning support
children and families need when children are not in school.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
|
Adapt lessons learned so
that other neighborhoods can create their own out-of-school-time
care suited to the character and culture of the families they
serve.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
•
|
|
Educate policy makers, community leaders and professionals in
the field about
out-of-school-time learning in order to increase resources to
support programs.
|
|
|
|
|
WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS IS BOOST LEARNING
TARGETING FIRST?
West Seattle, South Seattle the north end of the Highline School
District, which includes White Center, Burien and SeaTac.
WHO ARE THE PARTNERS IN BOOST LEARNING?
School’s Out Washington is the
lead agency in the project. Seattle School
District and Highline School
District each include neighborhoods in the target
area. Other partners include Child Care
Resources and Project
Lift-Off.
WHO PAYS FOR IT?
The project is funded by a three-year, $650,000 grant from the
Stuart Foundation, a San Francisco-based
organization whose purpose is to help the children and youth of
California and Washington state become responsible citizens.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE
PROJECT?
Research has been completed on the concerns and needs of families,
providers, children and schools regarding how students spend their
out-of-school time. The next phase of work focuses on finding ways
to overcome problems like lack of transportation, insufficient
information about existing programs, language and cultural
barriers, inconvenient timing of services, lack of gathering
spaces, lack of culturally relevant activities, and financial
constraints.
Top
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
