The Costs of Out-of-School-Time Programs: A Review of the Available Evidence

Commissioned by The Wallace Foundation and written in collaboration with The Finance Project, this report reviews a variety of studies conducted since 1993 in an attempt to gain a broad sense of what it costs to run out-of-school-time programs. Among the report's findings: there is a lack of up-to-date information about program costs; researchers and practitioners do not have a standard methodology for estimating costs; selected cost studies suggest wide variation across programs -- from $449 to$7160 per child per year; much of this variation is attributable to differences in sample size, how costs are calculated and whether in-kind resources are taken into account; and not much is known about the cost implications of investments to improve the quality of out-of-school-time programs. This report is part of a larger study being conducted by P/PV and The Finance Project (with support from The Wallace Foundation) to asses the costs of out-of-school-time programs. A second report, including a comprehensive guide to the costs of various types of programs, will be published in 2007

The Cost of Quality Out-of-School-Time Programs, Executive Summary

Funders and program planners need a clear understanding of the costs of quality afterschool or summer programs to make sound investments. With support from The Wallace Foundation, P/PV partnered with The Finance Project to embark on one of the largest and most rigorous out-of-school-time (OST) cost studies to date, collecting detailed data from 111 programs that varied dramatically in their focus, content, location, staffing, management and hours of operation.This executive summary highlights the full report's key findings, summarizes variations in program costs and provides recommendations for policymakers and funders who seek to build and sustain quality OST programs for children and youth in their communities.In addition, a companion online cost calculator that provides stakeholders with estimates for various program options is available atwww.wallacefoundation.org/cost-of-quality

The Cost of Quality Out-of-School-Time Programs

Funders and program planners want to know: What does it cost to operate a high-quality after-school or summer program? This study answers that question, discovering that there is no "right" number. Cost varies substantially, depending on the characteristics of the participants, the goals of the program, who operates it and where it is located. Based on detailed cost data collected from 111 out-of-school-time programs in six cities, this report, along with an online calculator (www.wallacefoundation.org/cost-of-quality), provides cost averages and ranges for many common types of programs

The Costs of Out-of-School Time Programs

Out-of-school-time (OST) programs are a vital component of children's academic and social development. Nationwide, 6.5 million schoolage children participate in OST programs that seek to ensure their safety, develop and nurture their talents, improve their academic behaviors and help them form bonds with adults and youth who are positive role models.1 These programs incorporate a diverse array of organizational models and programmatic approaches.The study provides detailed information on the full cost of quality OST programs, encompassing both out-of-pocket expenditures as well as the value of resources that were contributed in kind (including space), which most other OST studies have not done. Given that in-kind contributions cannot always be counted on when scaling up or building new programs, policymakers, program directors and funders can use the full cost estimates as an upward bound of cost, assuming no donated resources

Investments in Building Citywide Out-of-School-Time Systems: A Six-City Study

This report is the last in a series funded by The Wallace Foundation and developed by P/PV and The Finance Project to document the costs of out-of-school-time (OST) programs and the city-level systems that support them. The report examines the development of OST systems in six cities across the country and summarizes the strategies and activities commonly pursued, their associated investments and options for financing such system-building efforts. These findings can provide OST stakeholders with critical information to help guide their investments in system planning, start-up and ongoing operations. The report serves as a companion to two previous resources: The Cost of Quality Out-of-School-Time Programs, which provides information on both the average out-of-pocket expenditures and the average full cost of a wide range of quality OST programs; and an online cost calculator that enables users to generate tailored cost estimates for many different types of OST programs

No Haploinsufficiency but Loss of Heterozygosity for EXT in Multiple Osteochondromas

Multiple osteochondromas (MO) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by germline mutations in EXT1 and/or EXT2. In contrast, solitary osteochondroma (SO) is nonhereditary. Products of the EXT gene are involved in heparan sulfate (HS) biosynthesis. In this study, we investigated whether osteochondromas arise via either loss of heterozygosity (2 hits) or haploinsufficiency. An in vitro three-dimensional chondrogenic pellet model was used to compare heterozygous bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs EXTwt/−) of MO patients with normal MSCs and the corresponding tumor specimens (presumed EXT−/−). We demonstrated a second hit in EXT in five of eight osteochondromas. HS chain length and structure, in vitro chondrogenesis, and EXT expression levels were identical in both EXTwt/− and normal MSCs. Immunohistochemistry for HS, HS proteoglycans, and HS-dependent signaling pathways (eg, TGF-β/BMP, Wnt, and PTHLH) also showed no differences. The cartilaginous cap of osteochondroma contained a mixture of HS-positive and HS-negative cells. Because a heterozygous EXT mutation does not affect chondrogenesis, EXT, HS, or downstream signaling pathways in MSCs, our results refute the haploinsufficiency theory. We found a second hit in 63% of analyzed osteochondromas, supporting the hypothesis that osteochondromas arise via loss of heterozygosity. The detection of the second hit may depend on the ratio of HS-positive (normal) versus HS-negative (mutated) cells in the cartilaginous cap of the osteochondroma