| Roughly 650 programs serving 80,000 participants are taking part in the third year of a three-year evaluation of the implementation, operations, and outcomes of Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs for Youth sponsored by the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). Analyses are examining participants’ growth in light of the duration and intensity of their participation and the features of their OST programs.
Grounded in a theory of change that specifies the initiative’s key assumptions and expectations, the evaluation seeks answers to the following questions:
- What are the characteristics of the programs supported under the OST initiative?
- Who participates in these programs, and what are their patterns of participation?
- What patterns of social growth are found among participants?
- Do programs affect participants’ performance in school, and, if so, how?
- How do programs meet the city’s needs for assistance to working parents and for strengthening the city’s capacity to serve children and youth during out-of-school times?
Implementation and outcome data for the evaluation are collected from all OST grant programs through annual surveys of program directors and directors of sponsoring organizations. Participant surveys are administered annually in a sample of 150 programs. Fifteen programs contribute in-depth information through site visits and annual surveys of staff and parents. In addition, the evaluation examines program participation data and data from the New York City Department of Education.
Report on the Second Year
In the second year, the evaluation examined recent evidence of programs’ efforts to improve program quality and scale. In particular, evaluators looked for evidence that programs had established structures to support high-quality staffing and effective partnerships, were delivering rich program content through activities that fostered positive interpersonal relationships, and were engaging youth in activities to develop their skills in both social and content-based areas. Evaluators also examined the extent to which programs increased the number of youth served and their level of program attendance.
Year 2 Report
Executive Summary
DYCD Update
Report on Patterns of Youth Retention
The report uses program participation data to examine the extent to which 2005-06 youth participants continued to attend OST programs in 2006-07. It also reviews the characteristics of OST programs that achieved high, medium, and low levels of participant retention. In addition, it summarizes the self-reported reactions to OST programs by youth in programs that achieved varying levels of participant retention. These findings point to program characteristics that satisfy consumers and meet quality criteria.
Year 2 Interim Report
Report on the First Year and DYCD Response
This report presents data on the first year of program implementation and baseline findings on participant engagement in OST programs and associated academic and social development outcomes. It describes the characteristics of OST programs, including staffing structures and activities for youth. In addition, the report examines patterns of youth enrollment and participation in OST programs.
Year 1 Report
DYCD Response
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