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.
We add value to the out-of-school time (OST) field by promoting strategic use of information to improve quality, accessibility, and sustainability of OST programs across the nation. Our strategy is tailored to support knowledge development, evaluation, and learning in out-of-school time, and draws from an array of our tactical activities including:
- Ongoing distillation and dissemination of key OST research and evaluation approaches and findings, using our Out-of-School Time Program Research and Evaluation Database and other relevant research
- Networking, convening, and collaborating with other national OST intermediaries to develop and disseminate OST best practices information
- Creation of evaluation and professional development tools for OST evaluation to be used at national trainings and disseminated broadly via the Internet
- Use of our print and Web publication capacity to get information to and from the key stakeholders
The key products and resources from this work are listed below. You can visit our Subscription Center to sign up to be notified of any additions we make to the OST section of our website, including new publications, resources, and initiatives. These resources are designed to inform policy and practice decisions, improve OST research and evaluation methodologies to promote learning and continuous improvement, build research and evaluation capacity with OST-specific research and evaluation tools and resources, and facilitate dialogue, collaboration, and networking.
Products and Resources
Out-of-School Time Program Research and Evaluation Database
We maintain the only national database of OST evaluations and research studies. The database is a searchable compilation of user-friendly profiles designed to disseminate and promote evaluation. We recently expanded the database to include research studies that gather information about OST but do not evaluate specific programs—for example, studies from researchers at academic institutions and nonprofit organizations. The database provides accessible and timely information about research and evaluation on OST programs and initiatives in order to:
- Support and improve OST evaluation work
- Support policy and program development
- Promote discussion among practitioners, policymakers, and evaluators/researchers about issues and priorities in the field
Out-of-School Time Program Research and Evaluation Bibliography
We also maintain the only national bibliography of evaluations and research studies. This resource contains citations for all the out-of-school program evaluations and research studies that we are currently tracking. Some of these evaluations have been profiled in the OST Research and Evaluation Database. The citations provide basic program information as well as links to relevant reports. Users can search the bibliography by program focus.
Analyses and Publications
We conduct analyses of the information in the OST Program Research and Evaluation Database, based on key research questions about the issues and challenges of conducting OST evaluation. Drawing on these analyses, as well as information from research, advocacy, and policy arenas about field needs, we produce a variety of publications, including the Issues and Opportunities in Out-of-School Time Evaluation series of briefs, which we share widely with the field. The briefs in this series offer in-depth examinations of topics that include the role of youth as researchers, state strategies and investments in OST evaluation, implementation issues, and OST outcomes. Additional topics continue to be generated based on further evaluation analysis and field-generated needs.
In addition to these briefs, we have published a set of short, user-friendly Snapshots of methods, evaluation approaches, indicators, and findings. A series of succinct, accessible Research Updates also informs time-pressed practitioners and policymakers about lessons from the most current research and evaluation studies profiled in our database.
Dialogue and Meetings
By drawing on our analyses of our database as well as our participation in the ongoing national dialogue about OST, we work to identify key research and evaluation issues in the field for further debate and discussion. Given the field’s current focus on research-based approaches to policymaking and programming, we have committed ourselves to strengthening the conversation and connections between developmental researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. To that end, we conduct workshops at national conferences such as those sponsored by such organizations as the Council of Chief State School Officers, National School Age Child Alliance, the National League of Cities, SERVE, the Afterschool Alliance, Voices for America's Children, and others who bring together the research, practice, and policy communities to build capacity for understanding, creating, and disseminating research and evaluation on OST.
We also serve on advisory boards, organize invitational meetings and conferences to strengthen connections, and provide technical assistance to the Statewide Afterschool Networks, among other groups.
Contacts
- Erin Harris, Senior Researcher and Project Manager
- Evelyn Brosi, Research Specialist
- Heather B. Weiss, HFRP Director