Using Data To Build, Grow, And Sustain Your Afterschool System

Overview

How can afterschool systems best leverage data to build, grow, and sustain their efforts? AYPF and Afterschool Alliance heard from afterschool system leaders and how they are using program data to support the growth and development of their systems. Our presenters included:

• Mila Yochum, Director, Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time ( APOST) who will be sharing their recent State of Afterschool Reports that have been critical in helping all stakeholders understand the current status of afterschool in the community
• Charles Smith, Executive Director, David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, who will be sharing efforts to build quality standards and processes into funding opportunities, especially 21^st CCLC
• Lisa Caruthers and Michelle Amos, Cooperative for After-School Enrichment – Harris County Department of Education, who will be sharing their efforts to develop a return on investment study for Houston’s afterschool investment.

Presenter Biographies:

Lisa M. Thompson-Caruthers, Ph.D., MSW, serves as the Director for the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Expanded Learning (CASE) for Kids, a division of Harris County Department of Education. Dr. Caruthers launched her out-of-school time career by designing and teaching a video and mural class in a summer program housed in a St. Louis community center. Currently, she provides leadership, training, technical support and grants management to over 50 after-school programs serving over 8,000 youth. Over the last fourteen years, she has been actively involved in leveraging over 100 million in funds for the provision of out-of-school time services to benefit Harris County youth. Since its launch in 2012, Dr. Caruthers has provided leadership to the community based research initiative ENRCH After-School. She also sits on the board of the statewide after-school network, TXPOST (the Texas Partnership for Out of School Time). She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts from the University of Louisiana, her Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, and her doctorate from University of Houston’s Graduate School of Social Work.

Jen Rinehart joined the Afterschool Alliance in September 2002 and established the Afterschool Alliance’s Washington, D.C., office. Jen takes a primary role in the Afterschool Alliance’s coalition building, policy and research efforts, and serves as a spokesperson for the organization. Jen oversees major initiatives including the Afterschool for All Challenge—an annual afterschool advocacy day—andAmerica After 3PM—an ongoing study of how children in America spend their afterschool hours. In addition, Jen works closely with the statewide afterschool networks to help them use research to advance their state policy goals and to engage them in federal advocacy efforts. Prior to joining the Afterschool Alliance, Jen served for more than five years on the staff of the Department of Education, primarily as a Project Officer for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, the principal federal program supporting afterschool. Jen has a B.A in Psychology with a minor in Elementary Education from Gettysburg College and a master’s degree in Human Development from the University of Maryland at College Park. She works closely with a number of national organizations and initiatives that share the Afterschool Alliance’s vision of afterschool for all.

Charles Smith is the founder and Executive Director of the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality, a division of the Forum for Youth Investment, and Senior Vice President at the Forum. The Weikart Center currently provides technical supports to a portfolio of over 105 quality improvement systems in 40 states, including several thousand direct service organizations that provide out-of-school time learning opportunities for children and youth. Dr. Smith leads the measures and analytics team at the Weikart Center and guides the Center’s efforts to design and implement lower stakes accountability policies. His current area of focus includes development of standards and performance measures for programs focused on social and emotional learning for adolescents.

Mila Yochum is the Director of Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time (APOST), an initiative of United Way of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. As Director, Mila is responsible for ensuring youth in Allegheny County have access to quality afterschool and out-of-school time opportunities. Mila has over ten years of experience managing national programs with the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council, Strong Women, Strong Girls, and Higher Achievement. She has facilitated workshops on planning, data, delivering quality programs, gender specific programming, positive youth development and mentoring at non-profits and organizations such as: PA Conference for Women, Girls Coalition for Women and Girls, Literacy AmeriCorps National Retreat, DML Conference and others. As first-generation born in the United States, Mila grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a Bachelor degree in Public Administration and Nonprofit Management. She enjoys spending time with her husband hiking across America’s national parks as well as caring for and playing with her 19 nieces and nephews.