Building Effective After-School Programs

This unique resource provides a practical overview of the research and best practices that can be easily adapted and applied in the development of highly effective after-school programs.

"This book provides a unique source of information, experience, and evidence that is essential for any educator or policymaker involved in planning afterschool programs for children."
Robert E. Slavin, Codirector
Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk
Johns Hopkins University

Raise the caliber of your afterschool program with these exemplary models and get outstanding results!

Through a comprehensive review of various afterschool programs across the United States, respected authority on program effectiveness, Olatokunbo Fashola, sheds new light on "what works" to increase academic achievement during nonschool hours. Administrators, policymakers, teachers, and researchers can benefit from the examples of both the successes and the shortcomings encountered by their colleagues in the quest to create enhanced learning opportunities in safe and enriching environments.

This unique resource provides a practical overview of the research and best practices that can be easily adapted and applied in the development of highly effective afterschool programs. A complete discussion of the purposes, functions, methodologies, implementation, and evaluation of numerous programs is provided and organized for quick reference.

Building Effective Afterschool Programs features:

• Exploration of critical factors necessary for success, such as planning, training, structure, and content
• Step-by-step overview of how to create effective programs, from needs assessment to the effects of various types of programs on children
• Straightforward guidance onhow to evaluate the effectiveness of afterschool programs, including design models
• Real-life examples that can be implemented to build afterschool programs with specific goals, including literacy improvement, enrichment of nonremedial skills, enhancement of volunteer tutoring programs, and cultural and character development through community-based programs

Olatokunbo (Toks) S. Fashola is a Senior Research Scientist with the American Institutes for Research, and an Adjunct Research Scientist with the Johns Hopkins University. While at the Johns Hopkins University, she conducted research and published books and article on the effectiveness of comprehensive school reform programs, including programs specifically geared toward middle and high school students. She has written numerous articles on comprehensive school reform, and is co-author of Show Me the Evidence! Proven and Promising Programs for America's Schools. She has also conducted research on effective reading programs for students in need of additional academic services in grades k-12, and also specifically geared toward middle and high school students.

Dr. Fashola, who recently joined the AIR staff, is currently the Research Director of the Comprehensive School Reform Center, primarily responsible for the evaluation and production of AIR-Reports. This involves reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of K-12 programs with evidence of evaluation around the country. Dr. Fashola is also involved in the National Longitudinal Study of the No Child Left Behind act (NLS-NCLB). Toks Fashola also serves as a senior content advisor for the What Works Clearinghouse in the area of High School Dropouts. She has recently served as an author in the Corsini Consise Encyclopedia of Psychology and Neuroscience on the topic of "Dropouts." She has served as Principal Investigator, evaluator, and advisor for several after school programs and program evaluations across the country, and to reputable organizations such as the U.S. Department of Education's IES and the National Academy ofScience's Committee on Research in Education. Her report titled "Effective Dropout Prevention and College Attendance Programs for Latino Students at Risk" has also garnered national attention. She has also authored numerous articles on schoolwide reform, dropout prevention, and literacy. Her most recent work includes studies of randomized field trials of after-school reading interventions for students in need, and served as resources to the Department of Education, and the National Academy of Science's Committee On Research in Education (CORE).

Toks Fashola has first-hand experience working with both the literacy intervention and the remediation components of acquisition of literacy. Her combination of skills, resources, and experiences make her an excellent resource.