Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success presents an impressive and significant body of work that comprises almost 70 reports, research studies, essays, articles, and commentaries by more than 100 authors representing a range of researchers, educators, policy makers, and professionals in the field, as well as thought leaders and opinion influencers. Collectively, these writings boldly state that there is now a solid base of research and best practices clearly showing that quality afterschool and summer learning programs-including 21st Century Community Learning Centers-make a positive difference for students, families, schools, and communities.

"Subject Areas/Keywords: academic enrichment programs, academic skills, after school activities, after school programs, children, elementary schools, exercise, games, health promotion, high poverty schools, interventions, kinesiology, literacy, mathematics, obesity prevention, physical education, physical fitness, public health, reading, social studies, struggling learners, students DESCRIPTION Every school day, more than 10 million children attend after

Collected by the staff of the National College Learning Center Association, this vital collection of essays is designed to guide learning assistance professionals supporting student success initiatives in higher education.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program is a federal program that awards grants to rural and inner-city public schools, or consortia of such schools, to enable them to plan, implement, or expand projects that benefit the educational, health, social services, cultural and recreational needs of the community. Grants awarded under this program may be used to plan, implement, or expand community learning centers. Contents: program information; program eligibility checklist; selection criteria; instructions and forms for preparing the application; how to submit an application; supplementary information; and application checklist.

"What Counts as Credible Evidence in Applied Research and Evaluation Practice? is the first book of its kind to define and place into greater perspective the meaning of evidence for evaluation professionals and applied researchers. Editors Stewart I. Donaldson, Christina A. Christie, and Melvin M. Mark provide observations about the diversity and changing nature of credible evidence, include lessons from their own applied research and evaluation practice, and suggest ways in which practitioners might address the key issues and challenges of collecting credible evidence." "This book is appropriate for a wide range of courses, including Introduction to Evaluation Research, Research Methods, Evaluation Practice, Program Evaluation, Program Development and Evaluation, and evaluation courses in Social Work, Education, Public Health, and Public Policy."--BOOK JACKET.