Boston After School & Beyond Inc

BOSTON AFTER SCHOOL & BEYOND, INC. IS A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP THAT PURSUES A UNIFIED AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER LEARNING SYSTEM THAT PROMOTES STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT, A FOCUS ON RESULTS, AND ACCESS TO LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, PARTICULARLY FOR HIGH-NEED STUDENTS.

BOSTON SUMMER LEARNING - BOSTON SUMMER LEARNING IS THE AGENCY'S MOST ENDURING INITIATIVE, IMPACTING MORE THAN 14,000 BOSTON STUDENTS THROUGH HUNDREDS OF PROGRAMS EACH YEAR. CO-MANAGED BY THE AGENCY AND THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BOSTON SUMMER LEARNING LEVERAGES THE STRENGTHS OF TEACHERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND BOSTON'S RICH ARRAY OF NATURAL, CULTURAL, AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES TO EQUIP YOUTH WITH THE SKILLS, EXPERIENCES AND SOCIAL CAPITAL TO NAVIGATE LIFE'S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. RAND RESEARCH PROVES THE EFFICACY OF THIS APPROACH, WHICH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPPORTS AT OVER $1 MILLION ANNUALLY. BOSTON IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN SUMMER LEARNING, AND NEW FUNDING IN THE BOSTON SUMMER LEARNING - BOSTON SUMMER LEARNING IS THE AGENCY'S MOST ENDURING INITIATIVE, IMPACTING MORE THAN 14,000 BOSTON STUDENTS THROUGH HUNDREDS OF PROGRAMS EACH YEAR. CO-MANAGED BY THE AGENCY AND THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BOSTON SUMMER LEARNING LEVERAGES THE STRENGTHS OF TEACHERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND BOSTON'S RICH ARRAY OF NATURAL, CULTURAL, AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES TO EQUIP YOUTH WITH THE SKILLS, EXPERIENCES AND SOCIAL CAPITAL TO NAVIGATE LIFE'S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. RAND RESEARCH PROVES THE EFFICACY OF THIS APPROACH, WHICH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPPORTS AT OVER $1 MILLION ANNUALLY. BOSTON IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN SUMMER LEARNING, AND NEW FUNDING IN THE STATE BUDGET IS EXPANDING ACCESS FOR IT IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS. STATE BUDGET IS EXPANDING ACCESS FOR IT IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS.

MEASUREMENT AND IMPROVEMENT: THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS EACH OF THE AGENCY'S INITIATIVES. WITH COMMON MEASURES OF PROGRAM PERFORMANCE AND STUDENT PROGRESS, PROGRAMS CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR RELATIVE STRENGTHS AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT AND LEARN FROM OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE AGENCY'S NETWORK. MORE THAN 300 PROGRAMS AND 150 CERTIFIED OBSERVERS WORK WITH THE AGENCY TO EVALUATE PROGRAM PERFORMANCE AND PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT, USING A COMMON SUITE OF EVALUATION TOOLS AND ENGAGING IN A PEER OBSERVER NETWORK THAT BOTH ASSESSES PROGRAM QUALITY AND BUILDS THE EXPERTISE OF PROGRAM STAFF.TEEN INITIATIVE: THE AGENCY WORKS WITH TEEN-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO CREATE PATHWAYS TO SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS. THIS INITIATIVE SUPPORTS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AMONG YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND HIGHER EDUCATION FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING EXPERIENCES FOR TEENS TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND SOCIAL CAPITAL. AN EMERGING METHOD OF CREDENTIALING STUDENTS FOR THEIR GROWTH IN KEY COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS SKILLS, KNOWN AS BADGING, HAS EMERGED AS A PROMISING METHOD FOR RECOGNIZING STUDENTS' DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE SKILLS, AND HELPING THEM ARTICULATE MASTERY OF THESE SKILLS TO COLLEGE ADMISSIONS OFFICERS AND EMPLOYERS.STEM: THE AGENCY'S BOSTEM INITIATIVE IS BUILDING A SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) ECOSYSTEM TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY STEM EXPERIENCES FOR BOSTON YOUTH. THE HANDS-ON, PROJECT-BASED NATURE OF STEM PROGRAMS MAKES THEM EXCELLENT SETTINGS FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS SKILLS AND GAIN INTEREST IN STEM CAREERS. THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO CREATE STRONGER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND THE BOSTON'S STEM RESOURCES, AND TRAIN EDUCATORS TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN STEM CONTENT AND PRACTICES. THE AGENCY MANAGES BOSTEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED WAY.

AFTER SCHOOL/OUT OF SCHOOL TIME INTIATIVE SUPPORTS PROGRAMS TO SERVE STUDENTS IN A DATA-DRIVEN WAY, EITHER AT THE STUDENTS' SCHOOLS OR IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE AGENCY'S NETWORK OF PROGRAMS REACHES MORE THAN 10,000 STUDENTS WITH ENRICHMENT, SKILL BUILDING, AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) - THE PARTNERSHIPS FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING INITIATIVE (PSELI), FUNDED BY THE WALLACE FOUNDATION IN BOSTON AND FIVE OTHER CITIES, AIMS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS THROUGH COLLABORATIONS AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THEIR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM PARTNERS. CORE ELEMENTS OF THE APPROACH INCLUDE ASSESSMENT, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND COACHING TOWARD CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. THE AGENCY MANAGES THE WALLACE FOUNDATION GRANT, WHICH INCLUDES SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.