For Immediate Release: November 2, 2015
NIOST to Partner on National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment
WELLESLEY, Mass. - The National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) has been selected as a partner to work with the Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) to guide the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE). Funded by the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Care (OCC) under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, EDC will receive $10 million over five years to ensure that low-income school-age children have increased access to high-quality afterschool and summer learning experiences that contribute to their overall development and academic achievement through NCASE.
This new cooperative agreement has been awarded to the EDC in collaboration with the National Institute for Out-of-School Time—a program of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College—as well as the National Summer Learning Association and Walter R. McDonald Associates, Inc.
“NIOST has a 35-year history working as a research action project in the fields of school age child care, afterschool and youth development,” said Ellen Gannet, M.Ed., NIOST director. “We are deeply committed to the mission and vision of NCASE and its support for expanding and improving out-of-school-time services for children in low-income communities and the professionals who serve them."
NCASE will support school-age care and summer learning programs by working with state-wide school-age networks and other community partners to expand learning opportunities for school-age children. It will identify and promote family engagement approaches, and coordinate with early childhood and school-age stakeholder groups and other federal programs to maximize effective service delivery models and minimize duplication of efforts. NIOST researchers and trainers will focus on quality, professional and workforce development through the initiative.
Since 1979, the National Institute on Out-of-School Time has moved the afterschool field forward through its research, education and training, consultation, and field-building. Much of NIOST’s work has encompassed projects of national scope and influence, several representing “firsts” for the field and many focusing on building out-of-school time systems. NIOST's mission is to ensure that all children, youth, and families have access to high quality programs, activities, and opportunities and that these experiences are essential to the healthy development of children and youth, who then can become effective and capable members of society. Learn more at www.niost.org.
