Resources

All of Who I Am

Recognizing the Role of Afterschool and Summer Programs and Systems in Reopening and Rebuilding

This resource describes the role that afterschool and summer programs and systems can play and offers strategies for afterschool and summer programs and school leaders to work together in support of youth, families, and the community.

Research suggests that all people—children, youth, and adults—thrive in safe, supportive environments that are developmentally rich and identity-safe, characterized by positive relationships and relevant opportunities to learn and grow. The need for safety, support, and trusting, reciprocal relationships becomes even more important now as we work to rebuild and return stronger than before COVID-19.

Fostering Connectedness in the Pandemic Era: Policy Recommendations to Support Social, Emotional, and Academic Development

These recommendations were developed by the Aspen Institute Education & Society Program, informed by a diverse group of education leaders that included students, families, advocates, district leaders, state chiefs, researchers, think tanks, funders, and policymakers convened on April 29, 2020. This resource is designed to help state education leaders identify potential actions focused on fostering social and emotional development and school connectedness and is not intended to offer one-size-fits-all recommendations.

The Afterschool Leadership Landscape: Supporting and Strengthening Racial Equity

Are You Ready to Assess Social and Emotional Learning and Development?

How can you assess conditions for learning and development, as well as social and emotional competencies? The Stop, Think, Act: Ready to Assess toolkit helps educators, practitioners, and policymakers decide if and when they are ready to take those steps.

Helping youth develop social and emotional competencies can put them on the road to success—not only in school but also in their lives. It is crucial to have strong conditions for learning to enable social and emotional learning (SEL) and development.

The second edition of Stop, Think, Act: Ready to Assess:

Highlights the importance of implementation readiness and the conditions that foster SEL and development;
Includes assessments of learning conditions in and out of school; and
Updates the list of available social and emotional competency assessments.

Funders' Guide to Quality in Out-of-School Time

Participating in out-of-school time (OST) programs can be transformational in the lives of young people, but only if the efforts are high-quality. This guide provides recommendations to grantmakers about how they can increase quality in OST through local, regional, statewide and national grantmaking and other strategies.