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A Time Like No Other: Charting the Course of the Next Revolution
This summary of the Boston Indicators Report 2004 – 2006 provides a wealth of information about the Boston area. This report identifies progress on change in 10 sectors: Civic Vitality, Cultural Life and the Arts, the Economy, Education, the Environment, Health, Housing, Public Safety, Technology, and Transportation. June 2007.
After-school Programs for Low-income Children: Promise and Challenges
This article by The Future of Children reviews after-school opportunities for low-income children. There is a focus on program availability and accessibility, program specifics, and providers. The author looks at challenges in funding, staffing and physical space and then outlines advantages and disadvantages of targeting this population for after-school programs. Fall 1999.
The Afterschool Hours: A New Focus for America’s Cities
The National League of Cities (NLC) and the Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (YEF Institute) provided a 30-month technical assistance program to assist municipal leaders in their efforts to enhance and increase the availability of after-school programs. Eight cities participated and their stories are presented in this report. Lessons learned about what did and did not work in terms of involving municipal leaders in after-school efforts are also highlighted. 2005.
Afterschool Programs: Keeping Kids and Communities Safe
This issue brief from the Afterschool Alliance, reports on the crime and safety issues as related to youth. The authors describe the problem and then discuss how participation in after school programs can benefit youth and leas to a decrease in violence and increase child safety. April 2007.
America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007
This report provides information about the various aspects of children’s lives. The study touches on 38 indicators representing the strengths and struggles faced by the nation’s youth. These indicators are measured regularly so that progress can be reported over time. 2007.
Beyond Safe Havens: A Synthesis of 20 Years of Research on the Boys & Girls Clubs
This executive summary by the Private/Public Ventures provides results of studies over the past 20 years on the benefits and outcomes of youth participation in Boys and Girls Clubs. There is a general review of the benefits of BGCA participation, an overview of strategies and activities which led to success, challenges, and suggestions for how participation might increase the general well-being of youth. September 2005.
Can There Ever be Too Many Flowers Blooming?
In this paper by Barry Schwartz the author reflects on the current level of cultural opportunities for society at-large. His discussion revolves around whether too many choices can have a negative influence on how much and in which activities people choose to participate. This leads to the question of if there is too much choice, then how should it be limited and who should be responsible? July 2005.
Changing NCLB District Accountability Standards: Implications for Racial Equity
The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University explores the effects of the accountability shift from the school to the district level under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This report provides characteristics of schools identified as needing improvement, a discussion of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) issues, and the variability among states regarding the evaluation of district performance related to accountability. June 2005.
Common Assessment Framework For Children and Young People: Guide for Service Managers and Practitioners
This document provides an overview for managers and practitioners on how to implement and use the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) for Children and Young People. The assessment is used to determine the service needs of children and their families. March 2005.
Confronting The Big Lie: The Need to Reframe Expectations of Afterschool Programs
This paper by the Partnership for Afterschool Education examines the expectation that after-school programs contribute to academic achievement. The author proposes that this expectation should be removed and that after-school programs should be charged with handling developmental aspects of a child’s life. There is particular focus on evaluations of these programs and how they play into a shift of expectation. Summer 2004.
The Costs of Out-of-School-Time Programs: A Review of the Available Evidence
The Finance Project and Public/Private Ventures This article looks at the costs of funding out-of-school time programs, program implications and the difficulty in developing cost estimate models. It provides an overview of costs and cost estimates for related fields such as Education and Early Care and offers suggestions and benefits for OST programs moving toward “economies of scale.” May 2006.
Cultural Brokers: Helping Latino Children on Pathways Toward Success
This article, by The Future of Children reports methods for teachers, parents and families, and program staff to assist Latino children in the integration of their cultural values for success in school. It examines the experiences of these children in terms of managing two different cultures. Fall 1999.
The Development of Children Ages 6 to 14
This article by The Future of Children reviews the developmental processes of children between 6 and 14 years of age. Specifically, the author explores how programs, schools, and families can best foster positive outcomes during these developmental changes. The various changes in social and personal relationships and physical and cognitive development are presented for the middle years and early adolescence. Fall 1999.
The Evolution of Organizational Development within the Rebuilding Communities Initiative
The purpose of this paper by The Annie E. Casey Foundation is to present effective methods of organizational development and offer insight from a national community rebuilding initiative. It describes theory and methodologies of organizational development, training, and team building. 2003.
Futuring: A Complex Adaptive Systems Approach to Strategic Planning
The author of this report by the Support Center for Nonprofit Management suggests that strategic planning is one of the most frequently requested consulting service in the nonprofit sector. This article explores the status of traditional strategic planning methods in nonprofit organizations and offers some new approaches as well.
Lessons Learned About Effective Policies and Practices for Out-of-School Time Programming
This report by the American Youth Policy Forum highlights lessons learned about out-of-school time programs and policies. Challenges, such as going to scale, roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, funding, and sustainability are also presented. The author also discusses models of OST programs and their importance. 2003.
Long Overdue: A Fresh Look at Public and Leadership Attitudes about LIBRARIES in the 21st Century
This report examines public attitudes toward libraries in the age of the Internet. Through a review of public opinion surveys and in-depth profiles of five communities, the authors seek to highlight common successes and challenges faced by many libraries and describe implications for the future. 2006.
Nurturing a Creative Community: The role of art and culture in commerce and community
This article by COSMOS examines the emerging role of art and culture in furthering economic development. It looks at the idea of building “creative communities” based on the relationship between art, culture and the economy. The author also touches on the impact of the internet and job market in these creative communities. 2004.
Preschool, Day Care, and After School Care: Who's Minding the Kids?
This paper by David Blau and Janet Currie provides a synthesis of existing literature on the topics of supply, demand and quality of care and child outcomes. The author provides a demographic overview of the children receiving services, a review of the private sector of childcare and the government’s involvement. Finally, the authors make a call for further research in the field to maximize the quality of care. June 2003.
Replicating Social Programs
This pamphlet by Public/Private Ventures provides a description of the need for replicating and expanding social programs and illustrates the process as a guide for organizations.
A Resource Guide for Planning and Operating After-School Programs (2nd edition)
This guide by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) was developed as a resource for the planning and operation of after-school programs. It offers a list of resources in the areas of managing programs, effective communication and marketing, program development and evaluation. 2004.
Sociodemographic Risk and Child Well-Being
This research by The Urban Institute brief presents data from the National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF). The brief outlines social and demographic factors and their potential of being individual and collective risk factors. June 2000.
Sustaining 21st Century Community Learning Centers: What Works for Programs and How Policymakers Can Help
This report by The Finance Project looks at sustaining out-of-school time programming after a 21CCLC grant expires. Some common elements identified as important for sustainability include collaborative partnerships, support from school administration, diverse funding resources, and family and community engagement. The brief also explores the impact of policy on sustainability. September 2006.
Thirty-three Educational Design Principles for Schools & Community Learning Centers
The purpose of this paper by the Educational Design Institute is to offer a framework of educational design principles for organizations and programs to use in the design and implementation of their programs. The author compiled 33 educational design principles based on current practice and empirical research. The goal is for these principles to be used as a guide for designing effective programs to provide a positive learning environment.
Tutoring Providers Claim Districts a Barrier
This article from Education Week provides a review of why some poor children so not receive the tutoring services promised under the No Child Left Behind Act. The author charges the districts as not providing information and resources appropriately or in a timely manner. February 17, 2006.
Understanding and Supporting Prostituted Girls
The Girls' Coalition's fall 2005 edition of "Girl Matters", authored in partnership with more than 15 individuals and organizations working on behalf of girls, investigates pathways into prostitution, promising intervention programs and prevention strategies, new research, and extensive local and national resources related to girls and commercial sexual exploitation.
Understanding the Associational Infrastructure of the Arts and Culture
This paper by Margaret J. Wyszomirski and Joni M. Cherbo provides an overview of the associational infrastructure of arts and culture organizations. The authors outline the components of associational infrastructure, the development of the arena, and how they impact policy in the arts and culture field. 2000
What Values Should Count in the Arts? The Tension between Economic Effects and Cultural Value
This paper by the Institute for Empirical Research in Economics examines the conflict between the monetary value and the cultural value of arts and how they affect cultural policy. The author unpacks the two distinct values and explores the implications for arts and culture policy. September 2005.
When School is Out, The Future of Children
The Future of Children is a publication of The Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University and The Brookings Institution. When School Is Out , the Fall 1999 issue, provides a thoughtful commentary on the role after school programs play in the lives of American’s children.
Zeroing in on Impact: In an era of declining resources, nonprofits need to clarify their Intended Impact
As many nonprofits have large goals, there is often a need for these organizations to refocus the efforts. This article by the Stanford Social Innovation Review offers the experience of one organization after undergoing the process of identifying intended impact and developing a theory of change. Fall 2004.