This report documents an examination of the literature about OST programming to clarify and inform the key issues in ongoing discussions about services.

The review focused on group-based programs that provide care for school-aged children (6 to 18 years of age) during non-school hours and attempt to improve the children’s behavioral, social, and academic development outcomes.

Researchers provide an organized and objective synopses of the literature—a different approach from much of the existing research, which is advocacy-based. The goal:  to advance the dialogue among stakeholders by identifying major questions, assessing the evidence concerning those questions, and identifying gaps in the evidence.

To that end, researchers chose a flexible, issue-area-by-issue-area approach. They selected literature that was the most rigorous for a  particular topic. Each chapter contains information about the literature reviewed and the nature and rigor of the evidence. The “Sources and Approach” box provides more details. Concluding sections include discussions of study limitations. They also present recommendations for how to improve the knowledge base on that particular issue.