out of school time

– Out of School Time (OST): the hours students are not spending in a formal classroom (summer, afternoons, weekends)

– Quality Out of School Time: rather than just providing a care service, quality OST does the following: develops student academic and social development, increases work habits/leadership skills, provides opportunities for mentorship and peer relationships, sparks learning and hobby interests, and provides physical activity and nutritious meal options. 

– Related acronyms:

• OST: Out of School Time
• ELT: Extended Learning Time
• ELO: Expanded Learning Opportunities 
• SEL: Social Emotional Learning
• Afterschool
• STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics 

Via: United Way & Youtb.Gov

Out of School Time (OST) serves not just to take care of students but to develop and sustain communities of families and future generations. OST is a necessary component of:

– Positive youth development: 1 in 5 young people in the U.S. are alone at the end of the school day. A quality OST program can provide a safe space where these youth can grow, expand potential, and be accounted for.

– Community Sustainability: A quality OST can support social-emotional development, encourage positive behaviors during free time to reduce risky or illegal behaviors, and provide supervision from qualified and mature adults to ensure appropriate accountability. 

– Family Support: With a majority of school schedules misaligning with a typical work day, OST ensures youth have a safe and meaningful place to go while parents/guardians are working. Without quality care, working parents miss an average of 8 days of work annually, costing businesses up to $300 billion as a result of decreased worker productivity.

– Exposure to Higher Education & the Workforce:  Quality OST can open doors to internships or work-based shadowing opportunities for middle – high school ranged participants, building exposure, resumes, mentorship opportunities, and interest in certain topics.

– Combating poverty and low income stressors: Poverty is significantly linked with the following — homelessness, lack of nutrition/food insecurity, inadequate child care opportunities, lack of access to health care, under-resourced schools + unsafe neighborhoods. Many quality OST programs (including VOH) meet these holistic needs through food distributions, health clinics, and neighborhood town halls. 

Via: America After 3PM, Afterschool Alliance, Youth.Gov

Out of School Time seems to be a no brainer and even has significantly positive, bipartisan support (91% of Democrats and 87% of Republicans support afterschool funding), but there are many day to day obstacles OST faces:

– Availability: for every 1 child enrolled in an afterschool program, there are 3 children waiting in Texas and a total of 24.6 million nationally unable to access a program.

– Cost: 61% of all low-income households, 56% of African American low-income households, and 58% of LatinX low-income households report that afterschool programs are too expensive to enroll their child.

– Transportation: 58% of low-income households and 50% of higher-income households report that their child does not have a safe way to go to and from the program.

– Public funding debate: With the need for afterschool being so high, 87% of parents support public finding (a 4% increase in the last 6 years), but public funding is often limited.

Via: American After 3PM