With more than 70% of Georgia families in which both parents work, more than a million kids in Georgia may spend time away from their parents between 3PM and 6PM, the peak hours for violent juvenile crime and children becoming victims of crime. Many families in Georgia are being faced with the problem of where to send their child after school and finding their choices are slim; many counties in Georgia have only one or two afterschool programs, if any.

Thanks to a three-year innovation grant to the Georgia Afterschool Investment Council from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Georgia's families will benefit from increased attention to the after school hours and the growing need for more afterschool programs.

With this new $435,000 three-year grant (including match funds), GAIC joins 38 other statewide afterschool networks that have received Mott funding since 2002. Based on the proposal submitted, this funding will work to: 1) Implement a public policy strategy that promotes connections between students, teachers and community-based resources 2) Strengthen Georgia's afterschool professional development system to enhance program quality, and 3) Increase public awareness and support for afterschool time across the state.

The After-School Corporation (TASC) recently released "Meeting the High School Challenge: Making After-School Work for Older Students." This paper, prepared by TASC, provides a description and lessons learned from one of the nation's largest, longest-running efforts to offer teens high quality, structured afterschool programs, filling more than 40,000 seats over nine years in New York City public high school afterschool programs.

Older students who participate in afterschool programs significantly improve their chances for success, yet serving them effectively is one of the greatest challenges for the afterschool field. The paper describes promising programmatic models; examines the situations in which they work best; and warns of possible pitfalls.

The Beyond School Hours conference is almost here! Register today for this February conference packed with exciting offerings including:

• Discover the latest professional development, funding, and programming strategies
• Get inspired by dynamic workshops and institutes
• Discuss research, curriculum, evaluation, and program improvement
• Visit some of the best afterschool programs in Jacksonville
• Have fun connecting with hundreds of afterschool educators
• Hear Dr. Maya Angelou, one of the most powerful voices of our time

The Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University hosts its 2008 national conference, April 17- 18, in Albuquerque, New Mexico--an inspirational setting for this one-of-a-kind conference that allows attendees to confer, connect and come away equipped with fresh ideas and the latest approaches for effective summer learning programs.

Child Trends has released two new briefs in its series on practical evaluation methods for out-of-school time programs:

1) Process Evaluations: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners Program practitioners or participants may believe that a program is effective, but it is important to assess this objectively. Process evaluations focus on whether programs and activities are operating as planned. This brief describes why process evaluations are important, when they should be used, and how they can be a useful tool for out-of-school time program practitioners. The brief also focuses on guidelines and strategies for implementing process evaluations and provides some concrete examples that illustrate their usefulness. It concludes with a list of helpful resources for out-of-school time program practitioners.

2) Outcome Evaluation: A Guide for Out-of-School Time Practitioners Many out-of-school time programs want to learn more about how the children and youth they serve are faring. Outcome evaluations allow programs to do just that. This brief provides a basic review of outcome evaluations, discusses why they are important and when they are useful, and discusses ways they can be implemented in out-of-school time programs. The brief also highlights the experience of an out-of-school time program that has conducted an outcome evaluation and provides a list of helpful evaluation resources.

To help build support for afterschool with potential afterschool funders and local and state officials, Georgia Afterschool is searching for personal success stories about how an afterschool program has positively affected the life of a young person.