The Arkansas Out of School Network (AOSN) is committed · The Arkansas Out of School Network (AOSN) is committed ... American Youth Policy Forum September 27, ... Arkansas Out of

The Arkansas Out of School Network (AOSN) is committed

to creating safe, healthy, and enriching experiences for

Arkansas youth during out of school times by helping to

strengthen, expand and sustain Arkansas’s school-based

and school-linked services to children and youth ages-5-19.

Established in 2004, AOSN is a sponsored initiative of

Arkansas State University Childhood Services within the

College of Education.

The State of afterschool in Arkansas

Governor’s Task Force on Best Practices

for After-School and Summer Programs

A focus on quality systems building:

standards, professional development,

assessment/evaluation, & model programs

The 2011 Positive Youth Development Act

Leveraging local Initiatives

• The Arkansas Grade Level Reading Campaign

• The Arkansas Opportunity to Learn Campaign

• The Arkansas No Kid Hungry Campaign

• The Clinton Foundation – Healthy Communities Initiative

• The Alliance for a Healthier Generation

• The Arkansas STEM Coalition and STEM Authority

• University STEM Centers

Leveraging Partners – Aligning Resources

The Arkansas Department of Education – 21st CCLC

The Division of Childcare and Early Childhood Education

The Department of Human Services

The U of A Cooperative Extension Service

Coordinated School Health

The Arkansas School Boards Association

The Clinton School of Public Service

Arkansas Advocates – Kids Count Coalition

AOSN – A Key Connector/Convener in OST

Systems Building

Focus on regional constituencies – Using place- based work to extend the reach of the Network and to a create pathways for partners to become engaged.

Identify state level institutional partners to gain access – leverage relationships with policy makers.

Honest Broker – Intermediary : creating the space for inter-agency collaboration and a conduit to direct resources to the community.

For More information Contact

Laveta Wills-Hale, Network Director

Arkansas Out of School Network

1501 North University Ave., Suite 465

Little Rock, AR 72207

501-280-0577

[email protected]

www.aosn.org

State Perspectives in Expanded Learning:

The Role of Statewide Afterschool Networks

American Youth Policy Forum September 27, 2013

Michelle Doucette Cunningham

POLICY: COORDINATION - STATE

• State Agencies – Education, social services, child protection, justice, labor,

health, mental health

• Private Philanthropy – Community foundations, family foundations, corporate

and business

• Elected officials – Governor’s office and state legislature

• Program providers – Schools, community-based, YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs,

faith-based, child care centers, family child care

POLICY: COORDINATION - FEDERAL EDUCATION:

21st Century Community Learning Centers

Title 1 grants to LEAS

Title V delinquency prevention program

Carol M White Physical Education

Education for Homeless Children and Youth

Even Start: Family Literacy

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)

Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities

AGRICULTURE :

National School lunch: afterschool snack program

School Breakfast Program

Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP)

Summer Food Service Program for Children

Cooperative Extension – 4H

HHS:

Community Services Block Grant

Foster Care Title IV-E

Maternal and Child Health Services

JUSTICE:

Drug Free Communities

Family and Community Violence Prevention Program

Gang Resistance Education and Training

Gang Free Schools and Communities

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Weed and Seed

LABOR:

Job Corps

WIA Youth Activities

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)

Quality Improvement

• Training and technical assistance

• Quality standards and best practices

• Literacy and Common Core Standards

• STEM

• QRIS

• Data collection, evaluation and research

• Resources, webinars, on-site consultation

Policy: Grassroots Advocacy

• $4 ½ million dollar state grant program for after school programs

• Consensus building amongst various stakeholders

• Coordination of advocacy messages

• Annual After School Day at the Capitol

• Communications, email and social media

“I also like that I can socialize with my friends and talk about the drama in my life with them and the teachers,

before I went here I was a shy girl with not many friends at all, I was the one who would be shoved around and bugged by bullies because I was an easy target for a bully, but now I am stronger and better prepared . . . .”

-- Gillian (age 11) describing why she likes her afterschool program

For more information:

Michelle Doucette Cunningham, Executive Director

Connecticut After School Network

12 Melrose Avenue, Branford, CT 06405

office: 860-730-2941

mobile: 860-794-4978

email: [email protected]

website: www.ctafterschoolnetwork.org

State Perspectives in Expanded Learning:

The Role of Statewide Afterschool Networks

Terry Peterson, After School National

Resource Network

Questions? @AYPF_Tweets

Terry Peterson, Afterschool Alliance, [email protected] Michelle Doucette Cunningham, Connecticut After School Network, [email protected] Laveta Wills-Hale, Arkansas Out of School Network, [email protected]