Resource Topic: Research

Engaging Youth on Public Lands through Expanded Learning: Recommendations on Program Design and Partnership

By School's Out Washington & Washington State Department of Natural Resources

School’s Out Washington and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) came together in 2021 to develop ideas and actions DNR can take to plan and implement meaningful education programs in partnership with organizations to support Expanded Learning Opportunities. Informed by research, conversations with individuals and groups, representation from local and regional organizations, and philanthropic thought partners, this report shares promising practices in broadening access to outdoor education and natural resource stewardship to all communities.

Housing & Expanded Learning Opportunities Toolkit

By School's Out Washington

The Housing & Expanded Learning Opportunities toolkit is a guide for the housing sector (public, nonprofit, and/or private entities) to consider how to bring programs or create programs for their youth residents. It includes recommendations, anecdotal examples, models, templates, and serves as a primer to learn about the afterschool and youth development field.  This toolkit was brought to you by the HELO Network—a network composed of youth development and housing professionals from King County, Washington. Their mission is to close opportunity gaps through aligned systems and partnerships between Housing and Expanded Learning Opportunities that focus on accessible, high quality experiences … [ ]

Afterschool Quality: Moving from Research to Practice

By Public Profit

Sustained participation in out-of-school-time programs benefits children and youth in myriad ways. However, it is critically important that these programs be of high quality. This guide from Public Profit makes the case for program quality, and provides program leaders with practical guidance on building the organizational infrastructure that makes quality possible. Key practices described in this guide include building a culture of feedback, using a common observational tool, and creating systems to use the data that is collected. For each practice that the authors identify, they provide illustrative examples from the field.