Providing children with high-quality learning opportunities beyond the regular school day can promote academic achievement, bridge the gap between high- and low-achieving students. To ensure that children have access to services and programs that effectively increase their learning time, schools and districts should work to align instruction between the regular school day and additional academic activities, maximize student participation and attendance by addressing common barriers, organize instruction to engage and meet the needs of students, evaluate programs in an ongoing improvement process, and structure time for a longer school day, week, or year.

To learn more about the research underlying these practices, view the IES Practice Guide, Structuring Out-of-School Time to Improve Academic Achievement.