With support from MetLife Foundation, the Afterschool Alliance presents this compendium, containing a series of four issue briefs examining critical issues facing middle school youth, schools and communities, and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. The four issue briefs featured in this publication address: the importance of aligning afterschool with the school day, bullying awareness and prevention, service-learning opportunities and literacy education. Each brief combines relevant statistics, comments from experts and community leaders, and examples of outstanding afterschool programs. The compendium also includes profiles of successful programs and a discussion of the MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Award.

The 2011 MetLife Foundation Afterschool Innovator Award winners are:

• Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools - New Orleans, LA
• Higher Achievement - Washington, D.C.
• Urban Arts/Project Phoenix - Oakland, CA
• 21st Century PASOS - Gettysburg, PA
• America SCORES - Chicago, IL

This report covers how America's children are spending their afternoons, surveyed nearly 30,000 households across the United States. The survey finds that 8.4 million children participate in an afterschool program, an increase of nearly 3 million children over the past five years. While this is encouraging, there is still work to be done. The survey also found that there are 15.1 million children left alone after the school day ends and the parents of 18.5 million children would enroll them in an afterschool program if one were available.

A steady stream of afterschool evaluations are showing important gains for children, not only in terms of academic achievement but also in terms of safety, discipline, attendance and avoidance of risky behaviors. In addition, researchers have found that afterschool programs encourage increased parental involvement, an important building block for student success. This updated evaluations backgrounder focuses on the impact of afterschool programs on academic outcomes, student behavior and parental concerns about children's safety.

This series assesses the impact of economic conditions on afterschool programs. Based on 1,012 survey responses by afterschool providers, this report finds that afterschool programs are struggling to meet the needs of children and families in their communities, as they face shrinking resources and dismal prospects for new support. Hardest hit are programs serving disadvantaged communities -- the very population that has the most to gain from afterschool and summer programs.

Almost everyone believes that afterschool programs are one of those good things for youngsters. And yet many kids are left out: Only 15 percent -- 8.4 million -- of the country's school children participate, according to a report, "America After 3 PM," by the advocacy organization Afterschool Alliance. That leaves millions more students returning to empty houses, or worse. At a Feb. 21-22, 2013 conference in Baltimore, close to 400 people invited from 57 U.S. cities gathered to discuss what they could do to push for better afterschool programs -- and make sure that programming is available to all the kids who need it.

A companion report to Carnegie's Time to Act, describes types of literacy support offered in afterschool, weekend, and summer programs. Outlines promising programs and practices, elements of success, and strategies for planning and implementation.

Provides an introduction to No Child Left Behind legislation and the NCLB reauthorization debate. Highlights the links to afterschool policy and opportunities for advocacy.

The need for competency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills is not only increasingly important for success in the workforce but also to navigate the modern world and to make decisions that will inform public policy. In response to this need and to maintain the United States' global competitiveness, the federal government as well as private philanthropies and corporations are increasingly investing in a variety of STEM education initiatives.

This guide serves as a tool for afterschool program leaders to navigate various funding streams and consider effective strategies to acquire funding for afterschool STEM programs. It describes the different types of funding available for STEM education in afterschool and provides tips on how to write successful proposals