Out-of-School Time

Out-of-school time plays a critical role in supporting the academic, social, and emotional development of children and youth. Afterschool and summer learning programs provide students with additional opportunities to strengthen academic skills, build confidence, and stay engaged in learning beyond the traditional school day and year. These programs can help address learning gaps, reinforce classroom instruction, and create consistent environments where students receive the support they need to succeed.

Equally important, high-quality out-of-school time programs offer enriching experiences that foster creativity, leadership, problem-solving, and overall well-being. Through activities such as arts, sports, technology, service learning, and career exploration, students can discover new interests and develop skills that contribute to their long-term success.

These programs also serve as valuable bridges between schools and families by creating opportunities for meaningful family engagement, strengthening communication, and connecting caregivers with resources that support student achievement. When students, families, schools, and community partners are connected through out-of-school time programming, young people are better positioned to thrive both academically and personally.

SERVE supports state education agencies by providing technical assistance around competitive grant processes, conducting statewide evaluations and longitudinal studies, and providing professional learning to subgrantees around program quality and continuous improvement efforts.

Visit some of our resources and tools:

• OST START Tutorials – Out-of-School Time Strategic Tool for Assessing Readiness to Thrive (START) Video Series
• OST RISE Worshop – OST RISE Workshop Using OST Rubric for Implementation & Student Experience (RISE) to Observe, Rate, and Improve Enrichment Practice