The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.
After-School Learning Advocates Hope Research Leads to More Federal Dollars (Ed Beat blog, Education Writers Association [EWA], 3/12/14)
March 12, 2014
Learning doesn’t stop when the last bell of the day rings, but money to support after-school activities is scarce in most communities, says Mikhail Zinshteyn in this Ed Beat blog on Education Writers Association (EWA).The debate about allocation of funding for learning programs outside of class—after school, before school, and during summers—continues despite the efforts of advocacy groups, research organizations, and others who point to strong evidence of the value of these programs. The AfterSchool Alliance notes that parents contribute three-quarters of the dollars spent in total on education programs outside of normal school hours, while the government contributes only about a tenth of the total cost, ultimately leading to significant differences in quality program options between low-income and higher-income neighborhoods, and to the achievement gap across lower-income communities.
Zinshteyn refers to a 2008 research brief from Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) suggesting that high-quality after-school programs improve student learning, attendance, academic engagement, and social-emotional skills. Zinshteyn quotes Heather Weiss, director of HFRP, as saying that a number of strong programs have resulted in young people’s academic success, “from the development of cognitive skills to attitudes toward learning.” Weiss notes that the research community can now identify the ingredients of high-quality programs and provide the kind of professional development that can lead to improved student learning. She also suggests that economists' examination of the role that differential access to out-of-school enrichment activities plays in opportunity and achievement gaps is highlighting the importance of after-school and youth programs.
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