The New Day for Learning
"The structure of the day for American children and youth is more than timeworn. It is obsolete." -- "A New Day for Learning"
There is a growing national movement to redefine how, when, and where students learn. These articles, documentaries, interviews, and other content address how student learning can be improved during and beyond the school day, taking advantage of after-school or out-of-school periods, including afternoons, evenings, weekends, and summers.
A good place to start is the 2007 report "A New Day for Learning," from the Time, Learning, and Afterschool Task Force, whose members include GLEF executive director Milton Chen.
Community Collaboration
Video: Pursuing Passions After School: Chicago's Model Education-Enrichment Efforts
Chicago's After School Matters is a vibrant program serving a diverse population of more than 25,000 students who pursue their passions with the aid of mentors from community resources across the city.
After-School Matters: Apprenticeships for Adolescents
A Chicago Public Schools program makes enrichment programs for teens meaningful. By T. Shawn Taylor
Video: Around-the-Clock Learning: Spry Community School
Primary school classes start at 9 A.M., high school runs from 11 A.M. to 7 P.M., and rising test scores and a nearly perfect graduation rate are available anytime.
Room to Learn: Trailer Bash
An annex for young animators. By Edutopia Staff
Breaking the Mold: How Do We Reform Schools?
"What if the school we all know disappeared tomorrow and we awoke to find a brand-new system of learning?" By Diane Demée-Benoit
Like Technology?: Join the Club!
Computer Clubhouses offer underserved kids an after-school retreat for inclusive, hands-on learning -- and some new ways of approaching old subjects. By Rob Baedeker
The Call for a New Learning System: Getting America to Listen Up
Piecemeal reforms miss the big picture -- education in America needs a full redesign. By Milton Chen
Full House: As Las Vegas Grows, So Does the Need to Accommodate Its Students
The Las Vegas building boom has stretched the creativity and resources of the fastest-growing school district in the nation. By Roberta Furger
Video: Betting on Change: Growing Pains in Nevada's Boomtown
The Las Vegas building boom has stretched the creativity and resources of the fastest-growing school district in the nation.
The Power of Partnerships: Providing a Well-Rounded Education for All
For students at IS 218, school is much more than a place to study history or hone their mathematical skills. By Roberta Furger
Video: The Children's Aid Society: Supporting a Full-Service Learning Environment
Healthier kids, a safer school, and improved academic achievement are just a few of the positive effects of this unique partnership between New York City schools and the Children's Aid Society.
Audio: Judith Johnson: A Superintendent Who Knows What Kids Want
The Peekskill, New York, schools superintendent talks about what kids want in an after-school program, plus community partnerships and administrator buy-in.
Audio: NCLB, 2.0, Part 1: George Miller and Reauthorization
Influential congressman George Miller discusses the next phase of the landmark federal education-reform act.
Pen Pals: 826's Volunteer Writing Coaches
A growing network of workshops gets kids dashing out the door to write. By Elizabeth Ody
Learning Around the Clock
PDF: "A New Day for Learning": Report from the Time, Learning, and Afterschool Task Force 
Back to School: A Time to Rethink Time
Another year has passed, and schools are still captives of an outdated calendar. By Milton Chen
A New Learning Day: After School Is No Afterthought
Learning supplants leisure as the primary focus of after-school programs. By Beth Frerking
Technology in the After-School Landscape: Education Gets Creative
Squeezed out of the classroom by NCLB, some innovative technology has found its way into after-school programs. By Milton Chen
After School Works!: As Long as It's Not More of the Same
Poll respondents call for engaging afternoon enrichment. By Sara Bernard
Tech Target: Getting Girls Interested in Science and Technology
An out-of-school program called TechBridge engages girls in science, technology, and engineering activities. By Diane Demée-Benoit
Video: A New Day for Learning: Expanding the Educational Experience
A short introduction to the New Day for Learning initiative.
After School with Barbara Boxer: Champion of Extracurricular Learning
The senator discusses efforts to promote after-school learning at the federal level. By Alexander Russo
Audio: An-Me Chung: Inspiring the Education Community Through After-School Programs
The program officer of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation shares her view on after-school education.
Audio: Deborah Lowe Vandell: A Discussion on After-School Programs
A University of California academician discusses the value of after-school and summer programs and how schools of education can help.
Audio: Vincent Ferrandino: Roadblocks to Extended-Day Programs
The executive director of the National Association of Elementary School Principals discusses what school leaders think about barriers to after-school programs.
Audio: Yvonne Chan: One Story That Should Make a Difference
The principal of the innovative Vaughn Next Century Learning Center illustrates with an anecdote about the value of after-school programs.
Fourteen Million Kids, Unsupervised
Afterschool Alliance director Jodi Grant proposes a solution. By Brian Libby
Real-World Learning
Outside In: The Walden Project Helps Students See the Forest for the Trees
In the muddy Vermont woods, teens discover science, community, and a newfound love of learning. By Grace Rubenstein
Auto Motive: Teens Build Award-Winning Electric Cars
What's better than driving the hottest car in town? Building it! By Ginny Phillips
The Definition of Student Success: What Does it Mean to You?
"Most Americans, I believe, would define student success as the ability of a student to support himself or herself in this society after completing the educational process." By Ken Messersmith
Intelligent Design: Immersing Students in Civic Education
The Build San Francisco Institute is devoted to the architecture of building adults. By Richard Rapaport
Video: Learning by Design: The Build San Francisco Institute's School-to-Career Program
Architectural projects and internships help students build math and science skills.
Down on the Farm: These Vocational Educators Get It
Few program graduates become farmers today, but the lessons learned are valuable for young people entering almost any field following graduation. By Ken Messersmith
The Edutopia Poll: Are you in favor of block scheduling?
Proponents contend that student engagement increases; opponents maintain that students have difficulty staying on task.
Learning One on One: Teaching Kids to Pursue Their Dreams -- and More
Students who cross the bridge from school to career. By Ken Ellis
Video: The Met: A Passion for Learning
Grounded in the philosophy of educating "one student at a time," MetWest promotes and creates unique personalized education programs for each student.
Many Models of Empowerment: Students Make a Business of Learning
At a high-risk high school, kids train to be entrepreneurs. By Ashley Ball
Video: Fremont Business Academy: Student Entrepreneurs Win Big
Fremont Business Academy students used entrepreneurial spirit to fight truancy and design a new school. In the process they become international winners.
Warren Simmons: Apostle of Change
A conversation with the executive director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform. By Brian Libby
Time Out: Rethinking the Hours America Spends Educating
This article captures the essence of the challenge schools face in using time efficiently. By Christopher Cross and Milt Goldberg
