Facts In Action

Evaluation work in the out-of-school time (OST) field has created a body of research that looks at what types of OST programs work, for whom they work, why they work, and how to improve them. Recognizing that there is currently no central database for learning about evaluations of OST programs, the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP), a project of Harvard University Graduate School of Education, has compiled an online database of OST evaluations. Several of the evaluations profiled in this database include outcome findings.

www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool/evaldatabase.html

The Out-of-School Time Evaluation Database provides information about the evaluation work of both large and small OST programs and initiatives. Each profile contains an overview of the OST program or initiative that was evaluated, as well as detailed information about each evaluation report produced about that program. Electronic links to actual evaluation reports, where available, are also provided, as are contact information for program directors and evaluators.

The database is designed as a tool for evaluators who are planning an OST program evaluation, allowing them to quickly get detailed information about previous or ongoing OST evaluations. Practitioners can read the profiles to better understand evaluation options and methodologies.

Currently, the database contains 21 evaluation profiles, and HFRP plans on adding five profiles per quarter. HFRP has set up an email mailing list to notify subscribers when new profiles are added or when other changes to the web site are made. You can subscribe to this email notification at:

www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool/symposium/notify.html

For more information:
about the Out-of-School Time Database, or to submit an evaluation for consideration, contact Harvard Family Research Project, Longfellow Hall, Appian Way, Cambridge, MA 02138, call (617) 495-9108, or email hfrp_gse@harvard.edu.

A Special Issue of Facts in Action — Over the past year, Facts in Action published a series of articles designed to take you step-by-step through the process of measuring outcomes in your program or family child care home. This series of articles has been repackaged into a special issue of the Facts in Action newsletter and is now available for only $2.00 per copy.

If you would like to order this special issue of Facts in Action, please contact:

Erika Argersinger
Early Education Clearinghouse
Associated Early Care and Education, Inc.
95 Berkeley Street, Suite 306
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 695-0700 x271
eargersinger@associatedearlycareandeducation.org

Facts in Action, April 2002