Afterschool education has grown in recent years into a vast and diverse enterprise. In the United States, young people spend almost one-third of their organized time (including school hours) in afterschool and summer programs. Yet there is little clear and conclusive research on afterschool programs--research that would help guide the practice of existing afterschools and establish guidelines for the creation of new afterschool programs. This timely book fills that gap. In straightforward language and analyses, the authors survey the current afterschool landscape and bring to light important issues and practices within the field. They explore the challenges and opportunities facing afterschool educational programs, including their complex relations with public and private schools. In the course of describing the full range of contemporary programs, they also point to future directions for these burgeoning educational ventures. An indisputable guide for practitioners, administrators, policymakers, and parents, Afterschool Education will serve as the cornerstone for all future accounts of--and proposals for--this crucial educational field. "This book deepens the understanding of anyone--policymakers, program administrators, partnering educators, afterschool program leaders--who is invested in the effective use of afterschool resources to support young people's growth and progress." -- Sam Piha, Director, Community Network for Youth Development Gil G. Noam directs the Program in Afterschool Education and Research at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Laboratory of Development Psychology at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Gina Biancarosa is an advanced doctoral student in Language and Literacy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Research Assistant at the Program in Afterschool Education and Research. Nadine Dechaussy served as a Research Assistant and Community Liaison at the Program in Afterschool Education and Research.