This article provides a description and early findings from an ongoing study at the University of Colorado Boulder to map science out-of-school time programs nationally. Analyzing the strengths and challenges of OST science programs offered by different types of organizations, the authors report on “the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships between organizations of different types— for example, to meld the scientific resources of a museum with the ability of a local nonprofit to reach underserved students of color or to draw on university outreach to provide programming for local and regional chapters of a national youth organization. The data also suggest potential for science-focused organizations to partner with K–12 school districts on OST programming.

Author: Ethnography & Evaluation Research (E&ER) at the University of Colorado Boulder