School & District Management

Project Aims to Strengthen Cities’ After-School Efforts

By Linda Jacobson — August 06, 2003 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Mayors in six cities will soon receive new support to help develop after-school services through a National League of Cities project that seeks to strengthen the connections between learning that take place during the regular school day and in after-school programs.

Mark Ouellette, a senior program associate at the league, said mayors are uniquely positioned to draw attention to after-school services because their offices usually control funding for a variety of youth-development and crime- prevention programs. He said they can also work with city parks and recreation departments to improve the quality of programs for school-age children.

“They’re more concerned [than educators] with safety, and with economic development,” Mr. Ouellette said. “And they can use their bully pulpit to raise awareness.”

Cities involved in the 18-month effort are Brockton, Mass.; Cleveland; Little Rock, Ark., Norfolk, Va., Pasadena, Calif.; and Waco, Texas.

Through the $550,000 project, staff members from the Washington-based league’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families will review the existing after-school programs in the cities and suggest ways for them to improve their homework components and integrate academic standards.

Staff members will also work with the cities to form regional networks so people working in separate cities can learn from each other. A report on the progress of the project is expected in the fall.

Addressing Achievement

The new project—underwritten by the Flint, Mich.-based Charles Stewart Mott Foundation— builds on past work that the National League of Cities has done to improve after-school programs in eight other cities. That initiative, which also was financed by the Mott Foundation, is now ending after almost three years.

Project officials said it helped cities write academic standards for their after-school programs, devise financing plans, involve local businesses in their efforts, and survey residents on their opinions and perceptions of after- school programs.

The new six-city initiative will help address an issue highlighted in a report from Mathematica Policy Research Inc., of Princeton, N.J., that examined schools involved in the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers program.

In their first report, the Mathematica researchers found that while academic achievement increased for some groups of students, children overall who participated in the $1 billion after-school program did not improve their performance. (“Study Critiques Federal After-School Program,” Feb. 12, 2003.)

Events

Federal Webinar The Trump Budget and Schools: Subscriber Exclusive Quick Hit
EdWeek subscribers, join this 30-minute webinar to find out what the latest federal policy changes mean for K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
End Student Boredom: K-12 Publisher's Guide to 70% Engagement Boost
Calling all K-12 Publishers! Student engagement flatlining? Learn how to boost it by up to 70%.
Content provided by KITABOO
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management
Moving the Needle on Attendance: What’s Working NOW
See how family engagement is improving attendance, and how to put it to work in schools.
Content provided by TalkingPoints

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Active Kids Are Better Learners. Here's How Principals Can Get Them Moving
In an era of waning recess, here are a few tips to make learning more than just a "sit-and-get" lesson.
4 min read
Student Carrera Crittenden participates in an activity during a theatre class at Weber High School, taught by Mark Daniels, on January 13, 2025 in Pleasant View, Utah. Daniels incorporates a lot of movement in the students during all of his classes.
Student Carrera Crittenden participates in an activity during a theatre class at Weber High School, taught by Mark Daniels, on January 13, 2025 in Pleasant View, Utah. Daniels incorporates a lot of movement in the students during all of his classes.
Kim Raff for Education Week
School & District Management Do Districts Have 'Administrative Bloat'? This State May Let the Public Decide
A North Carolina bill would require districts to publish the salaries of central-office administrators.
5 min read
A vector illustration of a large, red one hundred dollar bill on it's side with men in business suits balancing on the edge with some falling off.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Opinion Want to Be a Better Education Leader? Try These 5 Strategies
Teams should leave you feeling more connected, not drained and disengaged.
6 min read
Screen Shot 2025 05 18 at 8.06.14 AM
Canva
School & District Management How Principals Can Boost Teacher Morale
Principals share advice for how they support teachers during uncertain times.
4 min read
Vector illustration of a large handing holding an open book with silhouetted women and men standing on the pages of the open book.
iStock/Getty