AASA receives grant to study afterschool programs - American Association of School Administrators - Brief Article

School Administrator, Dec, 2001

AASA has been awarded a 3-year, $400,000 grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to examine the characteristics of districts with effective afterschool programs. Despite overwhelming public support for afterschool programs and evidence of their success, these programs meet only a fraction of the need. Many obstacles -- including bureaucratic constraints -- have been cited as barriers to establishing programs, yet many schools have successfully overcome challenges to operate effective programs.

The Mott Foundation grant will contribute to AASA's ongoing efforts to help school system leaders improve the academic achievement of low-income students, according to AASA Executive Director Paul Houston.

"It's no secret that school-aged children left unsupervised during afterschool hours are more likely to engage in criminal and other high-risk behaviors, earn poor grades, display behavior problems and drop out of school," Houston said, but he added that districts face many obstacles that can inhibit the adoption of new approaches, such as afterschool programs.

Despite these challenges, Houston said, "Our members overwhelmingly want to adopt approaches that help their district increase academic achievement. That's why we are pleased to work with the Mott Foundation to identify districts that have effective afterschool programs so we can learn how they overcame bureaucratic barriers."

AASA Issues Analysis Director Anne Turnbaugh Lockwood will direct the initial study.