Publications/Case Studies On Out-of-school Time (OST) Programs
Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs
Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs are supervisee programs that young people regularly attend when school is not in session. They offer a structured setting for children to build cognitive and scholarly development, support essential social and emotional skills, help to reduce risky behaviors due to the time spent learning life skills, promote physical health, and provide a safe and supportive environment for children and youth. WHS EdArt Ink is a virtual space, and children may need supervision at home.
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Who is an OST professional? The OST profession fulfills a variety of roles in the lives of youth. They are caregivers, behavior managers, teachers/tutors, friends, and confidants for students who sometimes do not have someone at home who can take on these responsibilities. Note that WHS EdArt Ink operates only as a tutor/mentor entity. Centers for Disease Control [CDC]. (2023, August 17). Out-of-School Time
McCombs, J., Whitaker, A., & Yoo, P. (2017). The Value of Out-of-School Time Programs.
“Champions Champ Camp”
for Educators and Administrators
A case study on out-of-school time (OST) programs that raise student academic outcomes. Ninety-two percent of decision-makers (School administrators and parents) in a study stated that programs show skill improvement in reading, math, science, sports, computer, art, music, and world language; increase students’ social interactions; improve student engagement and are more fun for students. These programs are also a safe place for students, offer them extra academic opportunities, and provide activities not available during school, which are in demand by parents and school communities. (Author not captured).
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These activities include life skills such as the cost of acquiring and maintaining pets, securing an apartment for college living, understanding the numbers involved in driver education, choosing colleges, selecting careers, administering medication dosages, being a lemonade entrepreneur, learning how to play board games, moving with kinetic energy, helping with indoor chores, selecting items for school lunch, planning a school zoo garden, calculating interest rates, buying a car, learning emotions from screen beans, planning a party, renting an apartment, counting and measuring weights, shopping for back to school supplies, simplifying word problems, writing a math-based tales, (Robinson, I. (2023). Ways in Which Math Affects Our Daily Lives (Volumes 1, 2, & 3).
Out-of-School Time Programs: Paving the Way for Children to Find Pasion, Purpose, & Voice.
In a quantitative and qualitative study on Out-of-School Time Programs (OST) conducted by Edge Research/Learning Heroes under the auspices of The Wallace Foundation Knowledge Center, Learning Heroes learned about ‘ the impact of OST on student’s passion, purpose, and voice. The methodology consisted of polling, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews with parents, teachers, and OST providers to determine OST’s impact on students’ academic, social, and emotional skills (SES). The results showed that parents were concerned about
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Their child’s social connections.
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Their child’s new learning experience is gaining confidence from working in teams and developing social skills.
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They feel more confident that their child has better academic performance due to OST across income levels and race/ethnicity.
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They (parents 59%, teachers 51%s and providers 52%) perceive more benefits when their child benefits across environments rather than school programs alone.
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Inequities (costs, time, and transportation) to access were reported as barriers to participation.
Yamashiro, N. (2021, November 4). Out-of-School Time Programs: Paving the Way for Children to Find Pasion, Purpose, & Voice.
The High Cost Of Childcare During Summer School Closure
Citing a survey study by Better Life Lab on 1,335 U.S.-based online parents of children aged 4-14.
Definition of summer learning program: “a safe, structured program that provides a variety of activities designed to encourage learning and development” (para. 2) for varying hours per day and for approximately five weeks over schools’ summer break months. Only 4% of schools operate all year round. In 66% of households in the US with school-age children, the parents work. Parents face “an enormous and expensive set of logistical tasks to secure reliable care for their children when school isn’t in session” (para. 2). The problem is that many of these out-of-school time programs focus on the safety of the child over their scholarly involvement resulting in “summer learning loss” while costing parents a whopping $3-4000 that disproportionately affects low-income and single-parent families. On top of that, a suitable program is challenging to find, thereby symbolizing societal inequality due to its lack of scholarly rigor, high cost, and limited availability.
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Lenhart, A. (2018, May 24). The Summar Care Gap: How Parents Find, Manage, and Pay for Childcare When School Is Out by New America.
How School Breaks Affect Kid’s Mental Health Challenges During School Breaks
Apart from the joy of no homework, students’ mental health is affected during summer breaks in the following ways that can result in children acting out, sleeplessness and restlessness, and being overwhelmed:
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Change in routine
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Change in social interaction
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Change in healthy habits
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Changes in appetites
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Marker of performance
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Marker of loss
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Climate change
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Seasonal time-pressure
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Peer pressure
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Respiratory seasonal illnesses/allergies
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Over-stimulation can affect children’s nervous system (loud music, noisy toys, holiday mall/park crowns, bright, flashing lights)
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Too much closeness and touching (hugging and kissing them in public)
Possible Solutions
Keep a simple and sustainable routine, Set clear expectations, Lower the bar to lessen pressure on yourself and the family, Practice open communication, Make time for downtime, Get the children involved in the planning activities, integrate physical activities into the planning, and find quiet spots and calm places, and practice deep breathing and yoga. Finally, respect children’s boundaries within reason. Less public hugging and kissing, as many teenagers are opposed to those types of touching, even from their parents.
Children’s Mercy Kansas City. (2023, December 18). How school breaks affect kids’ mental health
National Library Of Medicine: The Major Causes Of Death In Children And Adolescents In The United States
In 2016, children and adolescents aged 19 accounted for a quarter of the U.S. population. The number of deaths totaled 20,360. Here are the 10 leading causes (only major categories are cited:
Cunningham, R. M., Walton, M. A., and Carter, P. M. (2018, December 20). The Major Causes of Death in Children and Adolescents in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine, 379(25), 2468-2475. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsr1804754
Pandemic Effects On Children’s Education
The pandemic severely affects student achievement in several ways: A reduction in enrollment, instructional time reduced due to school closures, changes to the teaching modes from in-person to online hybrid or all virtual, and a remarkable decline in learning and skill accumulation across all grade level and across states, and a reduction in peer-group interaction.
As a result of these factors, learning deficits persist today. School disruptions and learning losses present long-term outcomes that will be difficult to recover from. The losses outlined above indicate deficiencies in the development of cognitive skills based on standardized test scores. The future earnings power for the next generation is dim. The labor force will likely need higher earnings potential and more labor-market opportunities. The economic impact will affect the nation as a whole.
Pinto, S. (2023, August). The Pandemic’s Effects on Children’s Education (No. 23-29).
Florida School Districts are Piloting Year-round Classes to Curb Summer Learning Loss
Three Florida school districts in Alachua (Gainesville), Brevard (Central Florida east coast, and Marion (Ocala) counties were identified by Tallahassee to switch for the next five years. The results will be assessed to determine the course of action in the 2028-2 academic year. Proponents hope to see a spike in academic performance, student behavior improvements, and stronger staff bonds. Although the first two objectives are plausible, the third is dubious, given that teachers usually get paid for the summer when they are not working, or it is factored into their pay scale.
Algar, S. (2024, February 9). Florida school districts piloting year-round classes to curb summer learning loss.