Afterschool Resources To Assist Community Schools

Earned Income Credit

Community schools are concerned with the well being of children and their families, not only educationally and socially, but also economically. As tax season begins, one strategy community schools can use to engage parents is to offer assistance that helps eligible families take advantage of the Earned Income Credit (EIC) This newsletter offers a helpful toolkit that can be used to promote awareness about this financial support.

Coalition Announces New Partners

The Coalition has recently welcomed several new partner organizations including a number of organizations involved with School Facilities Planning. There is a large investment in school construction and rehabilitation being made across the country; the Coalition wants to see these buildings become community schools. These new partners can help achieve that goal.

To learn more about the President's proposal please see:
http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/press_room.cfm

Evaluation of Foundation's After School Program Affirms Effectiveness in Improving Student Achievement
A recent evaluation of the Foundations After school Enrichment Program presents evidence that students who are in Afterschool programs achieve more than others. Read the report and the press release of the study.

Two New Publications Focus on Financing and Evaluating Out-of-School Time Programs
The Finance Project is pleased to announce the publication of five new publications focusing on financing and evaluating out-of-school time programs. The publications help program directors find longer-term funding by offering useful tips and examples of successful initiatives and provide strategies and tools for improving programs and tracking their effectiveness. Also, the reports overview multiple aspects of evaluation to empower program stakeholders to evaluate their programs.

Replacing Initial Grants: Tips for Out-of-School Time Programs and Initiatives, Available at http://www.financeproject.org/fptips.pdf

Documenting Progress and Demonstrating Results: Evaluating Local Out-of-School Time Programs (with the Harvard Family Research Project), Available at http://www.financeproject.org/OSTlocalevaluation.pdf

For printed copies of any of these publications, contact Charlene Whitfield, Fulfillment Officer, The Finance Project, 202-587-1000.

New Policy Commentary from the Forum for Youth Investment:
High School After-School: What Is It? What Might it Be? Why Is Its Important?
High school is becoming the next frontier for after-school advocates. The conceptual and practical leaps from programming for elementary and middle school students to high school students are significant, and the marketing challenges are huge. Arguing persuasively for investments in this population requires revisiting almost every strategic decision made, from public education to policy framing to partnership development. To support policy makers, program leaders and advocates in making decisions related to high school after-school, this commentary summarizes what we know and answers some basic but important questions.

Conversations with Kathy Lewis, deputy superintendent for Child, Youth and Family Services in the California Department of Education, and Milbrey McLaughlin, of Stanford University, help illustrate and bridge the policy and research perspectives on high school programming.
http://www.communityschools.org/highschoolafterschool.pdf

New Resource on Culture and Language in Afterschool
California Tomorrow recently published a resource titled Our Roots, Our Future: Affirming Culture and Language in Afterschool and Youth Programs. The 110 page publication contains inspiring stories of promising practices, along with a set of practical tools and activities to support program reflection and development. For more information, go to www.californiatomorrow.org or call 510-496-0220.

National Institute on Out-of-School Time for CityWorks: Promising Practices in Citywide Afterschool Initiatives
This brief features promising practices in city-wide afterschool initiatives with a focus at the infrastructure level which holds the system together. These elements include communication systems, public relations, leadership models, information collection activities, resource distribution, goal setting, sustainability planning, linkage to resources, etc. This report covers the most promising examples of infrastructure development that strengthen and support citywide afterschool initiatives.
http://www.niost.org/city_works_brief1.pdf

Coalition of Community Foundations for Youth:
Out of School Time Matters: What Community Foundations Can Do is offered as a practical tool for community foundations interested in the development of out of school time systems in their communities.
http://www.ccfy.org/toolbox/ccfy_out_of_school_time.pdf

Community schools can help ensure that eligible families take advantage of the the Earned Income Credit (EIC). EIC is a vital work support for employees in low-wage jobs, helping many to make the transition from public assistance into the labor force. It also provides critical help to workers hurt by the economic slump who may have lost their jobs or had their wages reduced. These workers may have earned less than they anticipated in 2002 and badly need the boost the EIC provides to help them keep up with the demands of caring for their families.

This year the EIC can boost workers' paychecks higher than ever - it's worth $4,140 for some families. In addition, millions of low-income families are now eligible for a refund from the Child Tax Credit (CTC), worth up to $600 for each child, a benefit they may not have been able to claim in the past. Yet, millions of eligible workers risk missing out on these important federal tax benefits because they do not know they qualify, do not know how to claim the credits, and do not know where to find free tax filing assistance.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities coordinates a national EIC outreach campaign, and provides organizations with an EIC outreach Kit containing materials that can be used to promote awareness of these credits and the availability of free tax filing assistance, including: easy-to-read fact sheets on both credits; a full range of outreach strategy ideas that have been used successfully in local communities; posters, flyers, and envelope stuffers in English and Spanish; and the essential tax forms workers need to claim the credits.

Many potential EIC recipients can be reached through efforts by community schools in which children from low-income families are enrolled. School officials are often viewed as trustworthy members of the community. When information comes from the school, parents are likely to take notice. School administrators know that a secure home environment promotes school achievement, and many have recognized the value of the EIC in contributing to family stability. Many families with children who receive free or reduced-price school lunches also qualify for the EIC or CTC. Information can be distributed to families along with newsletters, report cards and lunch menus. Because they serve economically disadvantaged elementary school children, Title 1 programs and their parent advisory committees are good places to reach low-income workers. Some schools even offer space for local free tax-filing assistance programs to serve their neighborhoods. An EITC campaign can be a powerful tool for engaging parents in the education of their children.

You can view the EIC 2003 Campaign Kit materials on-line at www.cbpp.org/eic2003/index.html and order a free copy for your organization by contacting the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities at eickit@cbpp.org or by calling 202-408-1080. Note: individual workers don't need this full Kit to determine if they are eligible - it contains material you can distribute to them. Instructions and forms to claim the EIC and CTC are in the standard IRS tax form instruction booklets, available at www.irs.gov.)

The Coalition recently welcomed 13 new partner organizations whose various missions are aligned around the work of strengthening schools, families and communities. The organizations range from new local community schools networks to members of a new Coalition category, School Facilities Planning. The new partners include:

EDUCATION:
National Association for Bilingual Education: Promoting educational excellence and equity through bilingual education, the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) is the only national organization exclusively concerned with the education of language-minority students in American schools.
http://www.nabe.org/

FAMILY SUPPORT / HUMAN SERVICES:
CASEL (Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning)-University of Illinois at Chicago: CASEL's mission is to establish social and emotional learning (SEL) as an integral part of education from preschool through high school.
http://www.casel.org/

LOCAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL NETWORKS:
Chelsea Community Schools, MA: The newest local community school network is located in Chelsea, MA. Chelsea Community Schools works in collaboration with the Chelsea Public Schools. The city of Chelsea is the main supporter of their cs initiative which is housed in Williams Middle School seven days a week.

POLICY, TRAINING AND ADVOCACY:
After School and Community Education Resource Network: Led by Terry Peterson, Counselor to former Secretary of Education Richard Riley, this South Carolina-based network promotes effective after school programs and community education strategies.

Coalition for Our Children's Schools: The Coalition for Our Children's Schools (NJ) is a broad-based, statewide organization to promote policies that make the most of the chance to provide state-of-the-art educational facilities offering long-term benefits to children and their communities. Coalition members include representatives of business, education, government, and non-profit organizations.
http://www.njpp.org/cfocs/

PHILANTHROPY:
KnowledgeWorks Foundation: KnowledgeWorks Foundation provides funding and leadership for education initiatives throughout Ohio. The foundation believes that education is the key to the success of individuals and society. The Foundation is dedicated to removing barriers to education for all individuals.
http://www.kwfdn.org/

SCHOOL FACILITIES PLANNING:
Concordia, LLC: Concordia is a nationally recognized planning and architectural design firm based in New Orleans, Louisiana with offices in Pasadena, California. Concordia's planning process engages community participants in the systemic analysis of a wide range of physical, cultural, social, economic, organizational and educational needs.
http://www.concordia.com/

Council of Education Facilities Planners International: CEFPI is a professional association whose members - individuals, institutions and corporations - are actively involved in planning, designing, building and equipping schools and colleges. The association serves its members through advocacy and education of the general public, legislators and regulators on the efficacy of school design and student outcomes; training and professional development promoting best practices in school planning; and research and dissemination of information regarding the linkage between the educational facility, its design and student success
http://www.cefpi.org

National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities: Created in 1997 by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF) is a free public service that provides information about K-12 school planning, design, financing, construction, operations and maintenance.
http://www.edfacilities.org/an/

New Schools /Better Neighborhoods: New Schools / Better Neighborhoods (NSBN) is a civic advocacy organization formed to promote a 21st Century vision for California's urban school districts: new schools should be centers of neighborhoods and likewise, neighborhoods and communities should serve as centers of learning.
http://www.nsbn.org/index.php

Smart Growth America: Smart Growth America is a nationwide coalition promoting a better way to grow: one that protects farmland and open space, revitalizes neighborhoods, keeps housing affordable, and provides more transportation choices.
http://www.smartgrowthamerica.com

STATE ENTITIES:
Educational Leadership Beyond Excellence, NC: Ed-LBEX provides expert consulting assistance to facilitate public school reform. Its focus and services are successful across a variety of learner-centered efforts that help to build student achievement, parental and community involvement, and greater public support of our public schools.
http://www.ed-lbex.org/

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT:
California Afterschool Partnership/Center for Collaborative Solutions: The Center for Collaborative Solutions (CCS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and organizations work together more effectively to achieve their common goals.
http://www.cfier.org/default.htm