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
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]
