NYSED / P-12 / OSI / SSS / Expanded Learning Opportunities / 21st Century Community Learning Standards / On-Line Technical Assistance, Resources for Out of School Time Program Planning

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On-Line Technical Assistance, Resources for Out of School Time Program Planning

We have identified resources that are available on-line that may be of assistance to you as you plan your after-school program. Each topic below is linked to specific resources.

Page Index:

• General Information
• Partnerships
• Evaluation
• Family Literacy & Engagement
• Fiscal
• Funding
• Nutrition Resources
• Program Planning
• Youth Development

General Information

• 21st CCLCs on the US Department of Education Website
• New York State Afterschool Network
• The Role of Expanded Learning Opportunities in New York State School Reform , developed by the New York State Afterschool Network
• New York's Public Education Briefing Paper (July 22, 2012) ( 180.86 KB)  (Includes information about the Regents Reform Agenda)
• Promising Practices in After school Center for Youth Development, National Afterschool Association

Partnerships

Whether called collaboration or cooperation or partnership or connection, virtually all successful ventures to improve the quality of programs for kids and their families involve collections of individuals and groups that agree to set aside differences to find common ground.  It is this common ground which forms the foundation of successful collaborations.

• Resources from the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE):  NCPIE's mission: to advocate the involvement of parents and families in their children's education and to foster relationships between home, school, and community to enhance the education of all our nation's young people.
• Resources from National PTA

Evaluation

Gone are the days when programs could be implemented on the basis of good will and an intuitive sense that they would do good things. Funding is attached to the demonstration of effectiveness which in turn supports continued and enhanced funding.

• New York State After School Network (NYSAN) Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool ( 299.50 KB) This self-assessment tool provides an opportunity for program leaders and key staff, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to utilize a common set of standards to assess, plan, design and execute strategies for ongoing program improvement. 
• Principles of Effectiveness - the foundation for all funded programs 
• Harvard Family Research Project's Out-of-School-Time Evaluation Database - information about evaluation work of both large and small out-of-school time programs and initiatives.  

Family Literacy & Engagement

Family literacy is an intergenerational effort to enhance the educational opportunities of all family members. Family literacy supports parents as the first teachers of their children. For adults, the positive effect that they have on their children’s education motivates them to strengthen their own literacy skills. Family literacy can be an effective tool to ensure that children develop the literacy skills they need to succeed.

• Parents’ Guide to Student Success, developed by the National Parent Teacher Association® (PTA)  in response to the Common Core Standards.
• New York's Student Achievement and Parental Engagement Briefing Paper (July 22, 2012) (118.92 KB) Engage NY
• National Center for Family Literacy: parents and children learning together

Fiscal

• The Finance Project
• NYSED Grants-Finance Office Frequently Asked Questions
• Fiscal Guidelines for Federal and State Grants
• Semi-Annual Employee Cert Example ( 26.04 KB)

Funding

The need for funds is self-evident. Sources are not. The following links offer some possibilities. 

• From Channing Bete, the parent of Communities that Care :  Funding opportunities for youth development;  list is updated as funding opportunities become available. This site also provides information about government and foundation grants that support youth development activities.
• The Finance Project: The Finance Project is a non-profit policy research, technical assistance and information organization created to help improve outcomes for children, families and communities nationwide.
• The After-School Alliance - Part of the goal of the After-School Alliance is to help local after-school programs expand their resources and increase their sustainability.  The resources offered here are intended to help by providing tools and tips on accessing funding and using communications to build support for programs among local residents, community groups, businesses and policymakers.
  1. Funding and Sustainability
  2. Sustainability Workbook

• Pre-Collegiate Preparation Programs - fostering the development and implementation of collaborative partnerships among and between colleges, schools, community-based organizations, parents, students, business, industry and government to ensure that all students in New York State have the opportunity to be successful learners in an environment that honors the uniqueness of each individual

Nutrition Resources

Quality nutrition is linked to better performance - in school and in life. Nutrition is a function of both the presence of adequate appropriate food selections and the knowledge to make informed and healthy choices.
Here are some sources of both food and information which you may access to enhance your out of school program.

• Support for After school Snacks and Supper  - NYS Department of Health
• After school Nutrition Programs - Information from USDA 
• Nutrition Education Resources from USDA - Team Nutrition and Beyond
• Afterschool Nutrition Programs - Food Research and Action Council (FRAC) 
• New York State After School Network's Afterschool Snack and Supper FAQs ( 152.09 KB)

Program Planning

Planning with an eye to the future will offer huge dividends, producing a cohesive, effective program with the health and well-being of children and their families at the center.

• New York State After School Network (NYSAN) Program Quality Self-Assessment Tool ( 299.50 KB) This self-assessment tool provides an opportunity for program leaders and key staff, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to utilize a common set of standards to assess, plan, design and execute strategies for ongoing program improvement. 
• Resource Guide for Planning and Operating After-School Programs-Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL)
• Coalition for Community Schools
• You for Youth - A project of the U.S. Department of Education, You for Youth provides professional development opportunities, technical assistance, tools to assist in program development and improvement, and venues to connect and share resources with colleagues.

Youth Development

Positive Youth Development: Helping kids develop the PERSONAL and SOCIAL skills to make it possible for them to overcome challenges and achieve the greatest success possible.

• National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (NCFY) - an online database of youth-related publications and current youth initiatives. Includes free or low-cost publications and abstracts of research and informative documents.
• Youth Development Resource Manual - a companion to Promoting Positive Youth Development - provides information and tools for community partnerships working together to make youth development happen.

Last Updated: May 14, 2013