Key Research

Major findings about improving after-school programs across cities and making them more accessible to children.

All Research and Resources

Research Findings to Support Effective Educational Policymaking: Evidence and Action Steps for State, District and Local Policymakers ›
March 2011
(March 2011) These research findings can help policymakers – federal, state and local – improve learning opportunities for children, in and out of school.
Hours of Opportunity: Lessons from Five Cities on Building Systems to Improve After-School, Summer, and Other Out-of-School-Time Programs (Volumes I, II and III) ›
October 2010
(October 2010) A major RAND report finds promise and challenges in a new citywide approach to improving the quality and accessibility of after-school programs.
The Cost of Quality
Out-of-School-Time Programs ›
January 2009
(January 2009) A groundbreaking report details costs of strong after-school and summer programs; an online cost calculator can help users budget for different program types.
Knowledge in Brief: Calculating the Costs of High-Quality
Out-of-School Time ›
January 2009
(January 2009) A Wallace brief summarizes key findings from a groundbreaking study of costs of high-quality after-school programs.
A Place to Grow and Learn: A Citywide Approach to Building and Sustaining Out-of-School Time Learning Opportunities ›
February 2008
(February 2008) This Wallace-written report draws on the foundation’s work in five cities to describe a novel, coordinated approach to expanding and improving after-school programs.
Making Out-of-School-Time Matter: Evidence for an Action Agenda ›
March 2005
(March 2005) A RAND report examines what is known about the after-school learning field, including demand for and quality of programs.
All Work and No Play? ›
November 2004
(November 2004) This report on a national survey explores the often-overlooked views of parents and children on what they want from after-school and summer programs.