Survey Your After School Programs

After school programs often play just as much in the role of education as the classroom. These programs not only provide students with a place to continue focusing on learning. They also ensure that the child continues to focus on their education and their school life, rather than find themselves at home allowing their brain to melt in front of a television.

It's clear that after school programs, especially as they relate to tutoring and learning, are an important part of the K through 12 educational system. That's why it's somewhat unusual that these programs don't undergo the same amount of research as normal school hours.

You can never stop improving your school. The more you pay attention to every aspect of the program, the more you can ensure that the students are well prepared when they move forward. Your after school care plays a significant role in this.

That's why you should initiate performance metrics, to ensure that these programs are working effectively. Some of these are going to be behind the scenes. You should see if any students show improvement, and whether those in after school programs are effectively continuing their education beyond those students that parents choose not to enroll.

It'll also help you spot any inefficiencies, and determine if there are any areas that you can improve or alter to meet student needs. You should also be checking with the children and parents themselves. Make sure that these students feel supported, and that their educational needs are being met.

While not all children can tell you objectively whether or not they're happy with an afterschool program, they can give you valuable information about whether your programs are achieving their goals.

Every single program within your institution matters. From the top to the bottom – from science and math to gym class to after school soccer – each one plays a role in how successful your children will be after they leave the school's care. The organizations that have the most success with their graduates are the ones that research every component of their educational strategy and ensure that the students are getting exactly what they require to achieve great things. After school programs play are a part of that, and should be added to any research campaign.