A Snapshot of OST Programming in Philadelphia: An Evaluation of Six 21st Century Community Learning Center Grantees

21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grants are designed to support out-of-school time (OST) programs to provide academic support for youth attending high-poverty, under-performing schools. The programs also offer enrichment activities such as art and music, recreation, and career and technical education. Pennsylvania has funded 21st CCLC programs since 1998, and the 2011-12 awards are Pennsylvania’s sixth cohort of grantees. Of the 18 Philadelphia organizations awarded 21st CCLC grants in 2011-12, six organizations representing seven providers selected Research for Action (RFA) as their local evaluator. RFA conducted a mixed-methods evaluation that examined student demographics, elements of program quality, and important student outcomes. We report aggregated findings in this report, and provide a set of recommendations for program improvement.